Readers' Forum
Train up more para-medics
Medical technologists are integral part of present day medi-care services. Without service of medical technologists modern health care cannot be optimised. Indeed, like physicians and nurses, Bangladesh is facing shortage of health technologists. Medical technology includes professional subjects like pharmacy, laboratory, radiography, radiotherapy, physiotherapy, dental, sanitary inspection etcetera. The authority concerned has been trying to reach health services to every citizen in rural as well as in urban areas. But the result is yet not satisfactory by any standard.
Professional workforce viz, qualified physicians, nurses and medical technologists are important supplementary components for providing health care services, which could not be ensured in the health care area yet in Bangladesh. Government has eight Para-medic institutions throughout the country to educate and train-up medical technologists now, which is not capable to meat the demand for such hands required in the country.
There are some private institutions for imparting medical technologists but the standard of teaching there is not beyond question. The private institutions owners could not come out from profit making motive and as such charge very high tuition and other fees. Exorbitant high fees are burden for intending students as they come from low-income households.
It is known that about one-fourth of the posts of medical technologists are vacant in government health care entities for shortage of educated and trained workforce whereas millions of youths are burdened with the curse of unemployment. Establishing one government Para-medic institution in each district is the demand of the time.
If such institutions are established and operated, these will contribute to reduce unemployment in the country. Bangladesh must emphasize more on technical and professional education than general education at secondary level.
Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health should jointly set up and operate one Para-medic institution in each district where there is no such government institution.
This will have a double edge for the country. First, there would be enough qualified para-medic technicians and secondly, it will provide jobs to many unemployed youths.
Professional workforce viz, qualified physicians, nurses and medical technologists are important supplementary components for providing health care services, which could not be ensured in the health care area yet in Bangladesh. Government has eight Para-medic institutions throughout the country to educate and train-up medical technologists now, which is not capable to meat the demand for such hands required in the country.
There are some private institutions for imparting medical technologists but the standard of teaching there is not beyond question. The private institutions owners could not come out from profit making motive and as such charge very high tuition and other fees. Exorbitant high fees are burden for intending students as they come from low-income households.
It is known that about one-fourth of the posts of medical technologists are vacant in government health care entities for shortage of educated and trained workforce whereas millions of youths are burdened with the curse of unemployment. Establishing one government Para-medic institution in each district is the demand of the time.
If such institutions are established and operated, these will contribute to reduce unemployment in the country. Bangladesh must emphasize more on technical and professional education than general education at secondary level.
Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health should jointly set up and operate one Para-medic institution in each district where there is no such government institution.
This will have a double edge for the country. First, there would be enough qualified para-medic technicians and secondly, it will provide jobs to many unemployed youths.
Md Ashraf Hossain
Bashabo, Dhaka
