Law adviser Asif Nazrul on Saturday urged the doctors not to prescribe unnecessary medical tests or force patients to buy medicines of specific companies, calling it a form of 鈥榯orture鈥�, particularly targeting poor patients.
Addressing a programme organised by the Private Hospital, Clinic and Diagnostic Owners Association in Dhaka, he called on private healthcare institutions to improve the quality of services and ethics, instead of focusing solely on profits.
鈥楢re doctors working as brokers for medicine companies?鈥� he asked.
He said that unnecessary tests, forced purchases of particular medicines, wrong results, and poor nursing services must end.
Asif Nazrul said that better treatment facilities in the country could stop patients from seeking healthcare abroad.
鈥楢nother allegation is that test results are wrong. Many centres provide accurate reports, but some do not. A common allegation that breaks my heart is the rude behaviour of nurses. Nurses are unhappy because they get only Tk 12,000 as monthly salary. If a nurse earns Tk 12,000 a month, will she provide good service? She will remain irritated. Hospitals make huge profits鈥攚hy not share a fair portion with staff?鈥� he said.
He added that Bangladeshi healthcare had already proven its capacity during the Covid-19 pandemic when doctors and nurses sacrificed their lives to serve patients.
鈥業f you increase staff salaries, only a small fraction of profits will go... Please pay attention to these matters,鈥� he said.
The law adviser called on hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centres to invest more in upgrading the quality of services of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare staff for the greater interest of patients.
