The ACC has complained that 40 percent of doctors are absent from their workplace. However, doctors refute this allegation saying that since hospital duty is based on roster, all doctors cannot be present at the hospital.
Doctors say, though their duty is from 8 am till 2:30 pm, their work does not finish within the six and a half hour shift; doctors work in three rosters; morning, evening and night.
A few senior doctors say that the negative attitude harboured by the general people impedes medical sector in the country.
As a result, talented students are not coming to medicine sector, lament senior doctors.
“If the sweeping accusations are made against doctors then patients in this country will be entrapped by foreign medical tourism; they will go abroad and spend huge amounts of money.”
Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Brig. General A K M Nasiruddin, told Bangla Tribune, “During duty hour, doctors work in three shifts with those who work night shifts, skipping work the next day for valid reasons.”
Director of Shahid Suhrawardy Medical College, Dr. Uttam Kumar Barua, says, “People need to understand that doctors do not have a nine to five job, they sometimes work ungodly hours, responding to emergency calls late at night.”
“At our district hospitals, doctors are always present though at the upazila level, some are absent.”
He also underlined that only in health sector a person can become a specialist after taking a higher degree.
Recently, Sheikh Hasina has said that if someone does not go to work then that person will face punitive measures.
Relevant to note, on Jan 21 last, ACC carried out a survey in 11 government hospitals of eight districts and found that 40 per cent of doctors were absent.