4,000 Bangladeshis get jobs in Saudi Arabia

More than 4,000 doctors, medical teaching staff, technicians and paramedics will head for jobs in Saudi Arabia soon, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia said yesterday while announcing various steps for the medical sector.

She expressed the hope that the doctors will set an example so that the recruiting countries appoint more Bangladeshis in other fields.

Addressing newly-elected leaders of the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and other physicians, the prime minister said her government will also create employment for doctors at home through the Bangladesh civil service and ensure higher training in and outside the country.

The prime minister said her government was contemplating involving the BMA in updating the national health policy to suit the needs of the time.

She asked the doctors to help check patients going abroad for modern treatment, which result in huge amounts of money being drained out of the country.

Referring to an annual spending of nearly Tk3.6 billion just for treatment of Bangladeshis in a neighbouring country, she urged the doctors to realise the development that could be ensured in the country's health sector if the expenditure on foreign treatment was spent here.

Khaleda reaffirmed her government's commitment to provide improved quality health service for the common man.

"We will set up a medical university, which was one of our election commitments, and health service expansion programmes to ensure qualitative healthcare at village and union levels will be implemented".

She told the physicians that setting up of a training institute for time management in health services and hospital management is also under consideration.

The government has also taken up programmes to fill the vacant posts at different levels, she said.

She mentioned the budget allocation of Tk30.2 billion, about a 14 per cent increase, for the health sector.

She pointed to the increase in the numbers of beds by more than 3,000 in government hospitals, appointment of new doctors, ensuring regular promotion of the physicians and increase in facilities for them.

Khaleda said government efforts had helped create more employment for doctors and health service providers abroad.

She assured the doctors that their legitimate demands will be fulfilled in phases.

Khaleda directed the health minister to set up a professional library at the BMA and also assured all necessary cooperation from the prime minister's office in this regard.