Dhaka, Feb 04 – A writ petition was filed on Monday with the High Court seeking its directive upon the government to take necessary steps to completely stop private practice of the government appointed doctors.
Five Supreme Court lawyers including Abdus Sattar Palwan jointly filed the petition challenging the legality of inaction of the authorities concerned to stop private practice of government-appointed doctors during their office time.
The petition was filed with the related branch of the HC seeking its directive to order authorities concerned to form a commission to formulate a guideline over the private practice of the
government-appointed doctors.
It also sought HC directive to order the government to conduct mobile court to stop irregularities at the government and private hospitals.
The petition also sought HC rule on the government to explain why their inaction to stop private practice of government-appointed doctors during their office time should not be declared illegal.
Health secretary, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), president of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council and president of Bangladesh Medical Association have been made respondents in the petition.
Earlier, on January 29, Advocate Abdus Sattar Palwan sent the legal notice to the health secretary, director general of Directorate General of Health Services, president of Bangladesh Medical and Dental
Council and president of Bangladesh Medical Association asking them to take step to stop the private practice of the government appointed doctors.
In its notice Palwan alleged that during office time private practice by the government employed doctors is not only professional misconduct, but also an offence in the eye of law.
Citing reports published in online portal, the lawyer in the legal notice said that one Babul Hossain went to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital for emergency cardiac treatment at 11:30am on January 29, but Dr Bhobani Prosad Roy, the doctor concerned of the hospital, was in his personal diagnostic centre.
Bhobani Prosad Roy is only government appointed cardiac doctor for 20 lakh people of whole Lakshmipur district. Family members of patient Babul Hossain called him several times, but he denied to come in Sadar hospital, he said in the legal notice.
Advocate Palwan said in the legal notice that journalists informed the civil surgeon of Lakshmipur about the matter and after getting the phone call of the civil surgeon, Dr Bhabani Prosad came to the
hospital, but in the meantime, the valuable life of Babul Hossain lost.
The fact is not an isolated happening, he said in the legal notice, adding that though it is one incident it presents full scenario of the government employed doctors’ willfulness. – Staff Reporter
