Over a thousand physiotherapists across the country have been practicing in the healthcare sector without valid certification from any legal authority.
In 1973, Professor RJ Garst, an American Orthopaedic Surgeon, introduced the BSc in Physiotherapy programme at the National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic Rehabilitation. No regulatory body, however, has yet been formed to provide registration for the graduates.
According to statistics of Bangladesh Physiotherapy Association (BPA), more than 1,300 graduate physiotherapists have gone through the five-year graduation studies (four-year academic study and one-year internship) at different public universities so far but none of them has any certificate to practice as professional physiotherapists.
The course is run under the Medicine Faculty (of Dhaka University and Rajshahi University) at the Institute of Health Technology of the Health Directorate, Bangladesh Health Professions Institute, Bangladesh Medical College, State College of Health Science, and National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic Rehabilitation.
Although physiotherapists are not doctors, they are allegedly introducing themselves as doctors, causing confusion among patients.
Besides, as there is no regulatory body to check the educational attainments of physiotherapists, members of an unscrupulous group are taking the opportunity to claim themselves as qualified physiotherapists and doctors without having any relevant degree.
ZH Basunia, registrar of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), told the Dhaka Tribune that according to the BMDC Act 2010, nobody can introduce himself as a doctor, except those holding MBBS or BDS degree from any public or private medical college and obtaining valid BMDC registration.
Obaidul Haque, president of Bangladesh Physiotherapy Association, told the Dhaka Tribune that physiotherapy had become an important treatment tool for thousands of patients but the degree had not been recognised by any authorised public council.
All the health professionals, including doctors, nurses, medical assistants, have councils to recognise them as professionals but physiotherapists have no individual authority to certify them, he said.
“For years, we have called on the government to form a separate council to provide professional registrations for qualified physiotherapists. We are not asking for pity but want professional identity and dignity from the government,” Obaidul added.
Sources say the Ministry of Health is going to form an individual accreditation council to award professional registration to physiotherapy graduates.
A 10-member committee, headed by the director of alternative medical care of the Health Directorate, was formed on May 27 and it was asked to formulate a draft of the council soon.