The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

A world-class physiotherapy college will be set up in the country soon to create physiotherapists to meet the increased demand for physiotherapy treatment, said a senior Health and Family Welfare Ministry official said yesterday.

Speaking at a roundtable on "Physiotherapy Education, Present Situation, Problems and Ways to Overcome", organised by Health Reporters Forum, Bangladesh (HRFB) at Jatiya Press Club Joint Secretary Anwar Hossain Munshi said that the government would set up the college at a suitable place after evaluation of various factors later this month last.

Chaired by HERB president and senior reporter of the daily Jugantar Moniruzzaman Uzzal, Director of Health Education and Human Resource Development of the Ministry Prof Dr Shefayet Ullah spoke as special guest.

Coordinator of Gano Shasthya Kendra Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, General secretary of Bangladesh Physiotherapy Society Md Quamruzzaman, People's University of Bangladesh Lecturer Pradip Kumar Saha, Bangladesh Physiotherapy Students Union (BPSU) convener Russel and Dr Zakir Uddin of Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS) Hospital, among others, spoke.

Experts told the roundtable that 12 per cent people of the country are disabled, of whom 46 per cent are physically disabled needing physiotherapy as the key treatment.

Besides, obstetric patients need physiotherapy as do who sustain sports injury as well as surgery patients, before and after operations.

Bangladesh has only 500 registered physiotherapists compared to 15,000 in neighbouring India, they said.

Anwar Hossain said the government had been trying to ensure quality healthcare services to all through partnership of public and private sectors.

Under the plan, he said, it planned to incorporate physiotherapy course in each public and private medical institutions.

Dr Shefayet said the government was planning to set up separate physiotherapy department to facilitate career planning in the modern physiotherapy.

He said that Taka 2 crore had already been allocated towards that end.

Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury described physiotherapy as an integral part of healthcare service, that would benefit the aged.