Dhaka: Mentioning that serving humanity is the first and foremost task of a doctor, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, I hope you (doctors) will not forget your responsibility under any circumstances.
Our efforts and the hard work of health workers, including doctors, can control the deadly corona virus infection in Bangladesh, she said. Fortunately, both corona infections and mortality are low in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the call at the first international e-conference titled 'Critical Care-2020' organized by the Bangladesh Society of Anesthesiologists on Saturday (October 17).
In her recorded speech on the occasion, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the job of a physician is a noble profession. A physician serves humanity by serving a sick person. So when you become a doctor, your first and foremost job will be to serve humanity. I hope you will not forget your responsibilities in any situation.
Highlighting the efforts and sacrifices of all health workers including doctors in tackling the corona situation, Sheikh Hasina said, our efforts and the hard work of health workers including doctors can control the deadly corona virus infection in Bangladesh. Fortunately, both corona infections and mortality are low in Bangladesh. Hopefully in the coming days we will be able to prevent further spread of this pandemic.
The Prime Minister mentioned various steps taken by the government to tackle Covid-19 on an emergency basis including recruitment of 2,000 doctors and 5,000 nurses and medical technologists.
The Prime Minister recalled the abandonment of doctors who died in the line of duty to deal with the corona pandemic. She expressed deep respect to them and sympathy to their bereaved families.
Highlighting the government's initiatives for the development of the country's health sector, the Prime Minister said, my government has given utmost importance to improve the health services of the country. Access to health care is a basic human right. So we have expanded medical services by increasing the number of beds, recruiting doctors and other health workers and adding modern equipment.
In the last few years, we have set up several new specialized hospitals in the country, she said. Our strong private sector has also come forward to provide medical services. We have set up about 16,000 community clinics and union health centers to provide primary treatment to the people of the village. The government is providing 30 types of medicines there for free.
Highlighting the importance of anesthesiology, the Prime Minister said that special attention is being paid everywhere to anesthesiology with pre-operative care of patients before, during and after surgery. This includes anesthesia, intensive care, critical emergency medicine and pain medication. Bangladesh is no exception. We will duly acknowledge their contribution.
She said that besides the management of critically ill patients, anesthesiologists play a very important role in the operation theater. Our anesthesiologists at the Covid-19 pandemic are doing a great job in ICU and in the management of Covid-19 patients outside the ICU.
The Prime Minister requested the anesthesiologists to prepare themselves with the latest knowledge and technology to serve the critically ill.
Sheikh Hasina said the Society of Anesthesiologists in Bangladesh has helped to prepare a national guideline on e-Covid ICU management. They have expanded ICU service activities across the country and trained ICU doctors and staff in corona patient management.