Unethical practices by doctors have emerged as a big obstacle for ensuring quality healthcare at low cost for everyone in the country.
Statistics show that more than 40,000 doctors, whose primary job is to treat patients in the public hospitals, spend more time in private engagements that bring them more money.
Professionals said many of these doctors have developed “unholy alliances” with the private medical colleges; non-government hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres; and the pharmaceutical companies.
They allege that many doctors these days prescribe unnecessary drugs, including high-power antibiotics, pathological tests and even surgeries, jeopardising the lives of the hapless patients because they benefit financially by writing such prescriptions.
It is an open secret that many doctors accept gifts from pharmaceutical companies in exchange for prescribing their drugs. Sometimes even their families enjoy pleasure trips abroad sponsored fully by these companies.
There are allegations that some doctors, who work in the private medical and dental colleges, give pass marks to incompetent students in exchange of bribes.
Noted health experts and professionals expressed concerns with the alarming picture at a consultative meeting titled “Ethical guidelines for medical practice,” organised by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.
The Rockefeller Foundation supported the meeting held at the conference room of BMDC on Monday.
National Professor Dr MR Khan said: “Our backs are pressed against the wall. We should immediately find a way to stop such unethical practices by doctors.”
He also said: “Nowadays, doctors want to own money, car, flat and everything overnight. And for that they get involved in unethical practices. I have reached this position after going through 40 years of hardship in this field.”
Professor Dr Abu Shafi Ahmed Amin, president of BMDC, said a two-year programme had been undertaken to raise ethical awareness among the doctors and the process of formulating a “medical ethics guideline” was underway.
He added that starting this year, three new courses, namely medical ethics, communication skills and behavioural science, were being included in the new undergrad syllabus.
Prof Dr Moazzem Hossain, former treasurer of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said: “There is no control over the private medical colleges, clinics and diagnostic centres. We will have to build a social movement.”
BSMMU Pro-VC Shahidullah said: “Doctors are taking commission from hospitals and clinics. But it is like ‘haram’ [prohibited] for them.”
Professor Azad Chowdhury said: “We have recently interviewed some doctors who had passed from private medical colleges. I was surprised to see that they do not have even the basic knowledge about medical science. Some even seemed like they were not doctors at all.”
Dr Nihar Ranjan said the standard of education in private med schools had slid to the level of the primary schools.