Interns at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital on Monday locked the hospital’s outdoor department for four hours, demanding the implementation of five demands including restricting the use of the ‘doctor’ title to only MBBS and BDS degree holders.
The protest continued till 3pm starting at 11am, leaving healthcare seekers in suffering.
The interns said that as per existing laws, only individuals with MBBS or BDS degrees should be recognised as doctors.
Demanding an immediate recruitment of 10,000 doctors and an extension of the age limit for BCS medical job entry to 34 years, they called for the shutdown of substandard private medical colleges.
They also urged authorities not to delay the verdict on a petition challenging the BMDC Act-2010, which is scheduled for March 12.
Rangpur division medical interns, doctors go on indefinite strike
The interns warned that the outdoor department would remain locked from 11am to 3pm from now on until their demands are met.
Meanwhile, mid-level doctors of the hospital joined the protest at noon, expressing solidarity with the intern doctors’ movement.
Interns at Khulna, Rangpur, Chattogram and other government medical college hospitals also observed the strike a few days back but the issue is yet to be addressed.
The five-point demand includes:
1. Only MBBS and BDS degree holders should be allowed to use the title of ‘doctor,’ and the High Court writ against BMDC’s decision should be withdrawn within 72 hours. The registration process for MATS graduates through BMDC, which started in 2010, should be stopped immediately.
2. The Over-the-Counter (OTC) drug list should be updated in line with global medical standards. Only MBBS and BDS doctors should be allowed to prescribe drugs outside the OTC list, and pharmacies should be restricted from selling such medicines without a registered doctor’s prescription.
Medical interns start ‘complete shutdown’ over 5-point demand
3. Addressing the doctor shortage in the healthcare sector by:
* Recruiting 10,000 doctors immediately to fill all vacant positions and forming a separate health commission for recruitment at the seventh-grade level.
* Hiring 4,000-5,000 doctors annually to maintain balance in the healthcare sector.
* Increasing the maximum age limit for government job entry for doctors to 34 years.
4. Shutting down all MATS institutions and substandard public and private medical colleges. MATS graduates should be appointed as medical assistants instead of being given SACMO (Sub-Assistant Community Medical Officer) status.
5. Implementing a law for doctors’ protection.