Editorial
Penalty for doctors skipping rural posting
Let PM's directive be implemented
DOCTOR absenteeism is a serious problem in the rural health centers. A World Bank study done some years ago shows that at union health centers 40 percent of doctors are regularly absent. The smaller union health and family welfare centres, where there is only one doctor, suffer his absence for 74 percent of the time. They are to be found at their work places allegedly only on the day they collect their salaries, and most of them prefer to stay in cities for a very large part of their tenure of rural assignment.
Particularly disturbing is the truancy of the doctors appointed on ad hoc basis. The special-purpose appointments were designed to address the acute healthcare crisis in rural Bangladesh caused by severe shortage of doctors as well as nurses and technicians. And this compels the rural people, over 85 percent of the population, to turn to quacks and traditional healers, often putting their lives in jeopardy.
Bangladesh has fairly good facilities for addressing the problems of rural health which remain underused. The huge disparity between the number of healthcare personnel in urban and rural health care units is very disquieting.
Thus the prime minister's directive to discharge doctors appointed on ad hoc basis and yet unwilling to serve in the rural areas is a very appropriate one, and we strongly suggest that the directives be carried out without further ado. And in the same manner, the suggested punitive measures, such as stoppage of pay and holding up of promotions, against the permanently appointed ones, if found negligent of duties, should also be carried out.
The behaviour of the doctors, ad hoc or otherwise, posted at the rural health centers and health units does very little to support the plans of the government to better the lives of the people in the villages particularly of the mothers and children.
We also suggest that the government, side by side with the penalties for erring doctors, should also provide incentives to those healthcare personnel that are regular in their duties at these centers.
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