7th Urological Scientific Conference -Inaugural Session
Speech by
Sheikh Hasina
Honorable Prime Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Dhaka, Saturday, Magh 23, 1417, February 5, 2011
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim,
Chairperson of the Conference,
Dear Colleagues,
Members of the Parliament,
Participants from Home and Abroad,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Assalamu Alaikum and good morning to you all.
I extend my sincere thanks to everybody present here at the inaugural session of 7th
International Scientific Conference jointly organized by Bangladesh, Association of Urological
Surgeons, European School of Urology and Urological Association of Asia.
I recall with utmost respect the greatest Bangalee of all times, Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I like to pay homage to martyrs of 1952 Language
Movement. I recall four national leaders. My earnest tribute goes to 30 lakh martyrs and 2 lakh
tortured women whose supreme sacrifices enabled us to achieve our independence.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt to improve health care
system of the country considering health care a basic need. As a result it has been included in the
Constitution under section 15 beside food, cloth, shelter and education, as basic needs for living.
Bangabandhu ensured food security through Green Revolution. Along with that he
overhauled education and health care system. Bangabandhu upgraded the post of ‘medical officer'
into class-I.
In this line Bangladesh Awami League took all-out effort for the improvement of people's
lot whenever it got chance to run the government. During our 1996-2001 tenure we implemented
several projects for the improvement of our health care system; establishment of National
Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology is one of them.
Treatment of kidney and urological diseases is very sensitive. At present there are 16
million kidney patients in the country.
Treatment of kidney diseases in the country began in 1965 through creation of post for
eleven physicians only. As a result this treatment was only confined within Dhaka city.
Patients from across the country had to wait for days after days due to shortage of beds
and necessary manpower and inadequate infrastructure. Much of the problem has been solved
after the establishment of Kidney and Urology Hospital.
After assuming power BNP-Jamaat alliance did not expand the facilities in the hospital. As
a result, thousands of patients got deprived from services from the highly trained urologists.
From now on people need not come to Dhaka to avail this treatment. From today, besides
Dhaka and Chittagong, urology treatment will be extended to twelve more medical college
hospitals in ten districts. 150 post of urologists have been created. Appointment in those post is
underway.
We took initiative to set up 18 thousand community clinics in rural areas during our 19962001 tenure with a target to set up one clinic for every 6 thousand people.
We completed construction of 11 thousand such clinics. Health care services had been
extended up to village level. BNP-Jamaat alliance shut all those clinics down.
This time so far 1 thousand 337 clinics have come into functioning again. Primary
healthcare, medicine and birth control materials, nutrition and family planning services are being
provided from these clinics. I hope it will be possible to complete establishment of all 18
thousands clinics by the year 2014.
Plundering and wastage of government's drugs have been prevented by introducing redgreen foil pack. More medicine is being purchased with the same amount of money due to direct
procurement from the manufacturer. Supply of medicine is being maintained on time. Patients are
getting more medicines than before.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are working to fill up the vacant post in the health sector. 4 thousand 331 physicians,
1 thousand 747 nurses and 6 thousand 391 health assistants have been appointed so far.
Recruitment process of 13 thousand 500 Community Healthcare Provider is underway. Besides,
1,420 grade-I post, 62 grade-II post, and 1,182 grade-III and IV posts have been created in the
health service sector.
Promotion and selection grade of about three thousand physicians of different layers have
been completed. Promotion in academic posts of BCS Health Cadre have been made easier.
Nurses' service has been upgraded to class-II from class-III.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In last two years one public medical college has been established in Jessore. Initiatives
have been taken to establish medical colleges in Kushtia, Satkhira, Kishoregonj and Rangamati.
Three Institutes of Health Technology have been started. Eleven Nursing Institutes have started
functioning.
Permission has been given to set up three private medical colleges, three homeopathic
medical colleges and more than 40 Medical Assistant Training School and Institute of Health
Technology.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University is being made centre of excellence in order
to strengthen research activities. A project has been taken up at a cost of Tk. 4.84 billion. Applied
research has to be given emphasis besides fundamental research so that patients may get
treatment at a minimal cost. Attention should be given on prevention rather curing the diseases.
Physicians should develop mentality to provide treatment to the rural people staying in villages.
Standard of emergency services has been improved. Cardiac surgery unit in every medical
college and specialized hospital has been opened. Minimum standard in the medical admission
test has been ensured for both public and private medical colleges.
223 new ambulances have been distributed in different hospitals. We have taken initiatives
to procure 10 waterway-ambulances for the first time.
Drug Administration directorate has been upgraded to Drug Administration Department
with a view to ensuring quality medicines. Steps have been taken to improve the standard of
Drug Testing Laboratory at international level.
Country's pharmaceutical sector is very promising. 97 percent of the local demand of
medicine has been met by the local pharmaceutical industries. Our medicines are being exported
in 80 more countries with an increasing rate. We have exported medicine worth about 41 million
US dollar in the last financial year.
Few pharmaceutical companies are going to produce vaccines for the first time. Such
production would be exempted from Value Added Tax. A laboratory is being set up for vaccine
testing.
Health Establishment Maintenance & Management unit has been upgraded to Health
Engineering Department to provide better technical support to the health sector.
We have enacted Bangladesh Medical & Dental Council Act. Preparation of a new National
Health Policy is at the final stage.
Ladies & Gentlemen,
The government has given priority to the development of education and other social
sectors to make the health services more effective and durable.
We have formulated a modern, scientific, pragmatic and time-befit Education Policy to
bring a qualitative change in education. We are hopeful we could eliminate illiteracy from the
country by 2014.
The government has estabished the University of Professionals in Dhaka, Begum Rokeya
University in Rangpur and Science & Technology University at Pabna to expand higher education
facilities in the country.
Projects are being implemented to ensure safe drinking water and sanitation facilities up to
the village level. We have been distributing rice and wheat amonst the ultra-poor to ensuring food
security to the people.
The government has been providing food, financial and employment support in 81 trades
to down-trodden people of different sections of the society under the Social Safety Net program.
We have increased both the number of beneficiaries and amount of support under these
programs.
We have given emphasis to the employment of the youth to reduce poverty and
unemployment. We have driven out ‘The Monga' from the northern part of the country. We have
taken employment generation program for hardcore and ultra poor. We have started the
implementation of ‘One House One Farm' program. We have been implementing ‘Returning Home'
program for the homeless people.
We have been implementing mulit-dimensional program for achieving Millennium
Development Goals. The achievements of the Extended Immunization Program of Bangladesh is
the briliant example in the world and many least developed and developing countries are
implementing our concept to immunize children against measles. We have earned brilliant seccess
in achieving the targets under the MDG 4 that to reduce child mortality. For this, the UN has
presented us UN MDG Award in last September.
Ladies and Gentle men,
The government has introduced health services using ICT facilities. Upazila Health
Complexes are now provided with computer with internet connections and districts hospitals are
enjoying web-cam facilities. People are now getting health services through mobile phones. Eight
tele-medicine centers have been established across the country.
We have introduced Maternal Health Voucher Scheme in 53 Uazilas. Poor Pregnant
mothers are getting healthcare services during their pregnancy and after-delivery maternal care
free of cost under the program. Financial support is being provided to lactating mother and their
children ensuring nutrition requirements under the National Nutrition Program. The program is
being implemented in 123 Upazilas.
Treatment facililies have been started in Shahid Abu Naser Specialized Hospital in Khulna.
Newly constructed Institute of Neuro-science & Hospital at Agargaon in the capital will start
functioning very soon.
A Burn Intensive Care Unit has been introduced in Dhaka Medical Colleage & Hospital.
We have set up a Urology Department in the National Cancer Institute & Hospital. Through
this, the patients are getting Uro Oncological multi-disciplinary treatment. Kidney transplantation
facilities have been introduced in Dhaka and Chittagong Medical College Hospitals and Kidney
Institute.
With the help of the physicians like you Bangabandhu Memorial Trust has been providing
treatment and medicare facilites to the patients at remote villages. I thank you for your generous
support at this end.
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Our government has been working for the overall development of the socio-economic and
other sectors with a vision to convert Bangladesh a poverty-free middle income country by 2021
as dreamt by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Then the
development will be on fast track with ever-increasing growth rate of double digit.
I would like to extend my thanks to the foreign faculty who in spite of their preoccupation, have come forward to attend this conference. I think, this conference will open up a
new era in ensuring modern treatment for urological patients of the country.
With these few words I declare the conference open. I wish all success of the conference.
Khoda Hafez,
Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu
May Bangladesh Live Forever.
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