The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a discussion meeting here on Tuesday stressed the need for taking effective steps to make the government hospitals and clinics accessible for poor and low- income group people.

They also said the existing hospitals should be made functional properly for the sake of ensuring better health services to the rural people, especially the poor and destitute.

They made these observations at a meeting arranged on the occasion of presenting a report of public opinion conducted on 'Rajshahi City Hospital' and 'Godagari Sadar Hospital' held at GDRC conference hall.

Local unit of Health and Environment Journalists' Forum (HEJF) in collaboration with ActionAid Bangladesh (AB) conducted the survey earlier.

Unit Chief Akbarul Hassan Millat presented the survey report depicting some grim pictures being prevailed in the two hospitals, which were brought under the survey.

With HEJF President Mustafizur Rahman Khan Alam in the chair, Acting Mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation Rezaunnabi Dudu and Chief Health Officer Dr. Rizvi Sultan addressed the meeting as the chief and the special guests respectively.

Among others, Editor of Dainik Barta SMA Kader, Editor of Sonaly Sangbad Liakat Ali, NGO leaders Sarwari Kamal and Afzal Hossain, ActionAid Representative Rezwan Siddiky and journalist Shafiqul Islam also spoke on the occasion.

The speakers said importance should be given to make the jobs of the service-providers, especially the physicians, surgeons and technicians, accountable and transparent so that the beneficiaries can get regular services from them.

They opined that the rural people must be brought under a sound healthcare network through reactivating the rural hospitals in the greater interest of overall development of the nation.