Bangladesh Physiotherapy Association (BPA), the national platform of physiotherapy professionals and a member of the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council (BRC), on Saturday called for the inclusion of the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council Act in the recently submitted Health Reform Commission report.
Speaking at a seminar titled "Physiotherapy in Public Health Protection: Review of Health Reform Commission Report" held at the National Press Club, BPA representatives and healthcare experts expressed concern over the report's exclusion of physiotherapy as a distinct health profession.
They placed the three point demand, which are incorporation of the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council Act into the Health Reform Commission report and recruitment of physiotherapists in the 9th grade scale as per BRC guidelines.
BPA also placed demands for the establishment of physiotherapy departments and proper placement of physiotherapy professionals in the 9th grade in all government hospitals and specialized institutions.
According to BPA, the report attempts to classify physiotherapists under the categories of medical technologists or allied health professionals, which contradicts the provisions of the BRC Act. They argued that such misrepresentation undermines the status and regulatory framework of physiotherapy in Bangladesh.
Experts at the seminar emphasized that inclusion of the Rehabilitation Council Act in the health reform agenda would mark a significant milestone for the development of physiotherapy, enhance professional standards, and safeguard the rights of practitioners.
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BPA also voiced concern over recent government job circulars proposing 11th or 12th grade salary scales for physiotherapists in public hospitals, calling it a violation of BRC-set standards and a blow to professional dignity.
The association reiterated that a physiotherapy degree (BSc in Physiotherapy) entails a five-year professional education including a mandatory one-year internship. According to WHO Codes 2264 and 1500, physiotherapy is recognized as an independent health profession, with physiotherapists granted the authority to prescribe treatment.
Given their educational qualifications and responsibilities, BPA stated that physiotherapists are equivalent to other first-class officers and must therefore be appointed in the 9th grade pay scale in line with BRC policies and international standards.