President calls for urgently ending doctor and nurse shortage in hospitals

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for swift, effective steps to end the shortage of doctors, nurses and health workers in the country's hospitals. He said the number of doctors in the country is very low, so urgent steps are needed on doctor recruitment.

The President made the remarks on Sunday evening (November 1) at a programme at Hotel InterContinental in the capital, held for the annual scientific conference and AGM-2026 of the Society of Otolaryngologists and Head-Neck Surgeons of Bangladesh.

The President said hospitals face a particular shortage of nurses. Technicians and medical assistants must also be recruited, and their training arranged, without delay.

He said equipment is brought into hospitals but the manpower needed to operate it is missing. Machines are brought for dialysis, yet they lie idle for want of staff. This must change: alongside buying medical equipment, skilled manpower to run it must be ensured.

The President added that an initiative is under way to buy medical equipment worth around Tk 16,000 crore in the health sector. But equipment was bought in the past too, much of which still lies boxed up in different places. Bringing in equipment without people to operate it will not do.

He said technicians, medical assistants and the necessary training must be arranged quickly alongside equipment purchases. Otherwise, people will not get the services they expect despite modern medical equipment being available.

The President said people in villages are truly deprived of health care. Even at district sadar hospitals, mismanagement, negligence and corruption keep ordinary people from proper treatment. He urged the authorities concerned to take effective steps to solve these basic problems.

He said health care is a fundamental right of the people, so a proper health system must be built to ensure appropriate treatment for the poor and ordinary citizens. He also called for building a national health system to ensure proper health care for all citizens.

He also urged doctors to carry out their duties with greater humanity and sincerity.

In his speech, the President recalled the contributions of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia to the development of the country's medical sector, and reiterated the present government's commitment to ensuring 'health for all'. He was presented with an honour crest before his speech.

Chaired by the organisation's convener, Professor Dr Mazharul Shaheen, the programme was addressed in a welcome speech by its member-secretary, Professor Dr Hasan Zafar. Special guests who spoke included Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain, the Prime Minister's special assistant on health Dr SM Ziauddin Haider, parliamentary committee chairman on the health ministry Professor Dr MM Rafiqul Islam Bachchu, Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) chief adviser Professor Dr Farhad Halim Donar and DAB president Professor Dr Harun Al Rashid.