‘Community paramedics must be given govt job opportunities’

Discussants at a roundtable on Wednesday urged the authorities concerned to increase job opportunities for community paramedics (CP).

Prothom Alo, in cooperation with the international non-government organisation Swisscontact, organised the roundtable titled ‘Role of skilled paramedics in the healthcare sector of Bangladesh.’

Speaking at the roundtable, Swisscontact country director Anirban Bhowmik said the opportunities for paramedics will help resolve unemployment of school drop-outs and poor persons as well as those outside of conventional medical services in the rural areas.

“Thus, to attain Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), we should incorporate them in the job market.”

Community paramedics are those who have just completed Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and received a two-year intensive theoretical and practical training on anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology and pathology, and particularly trained in mother and child health.

Addressing the discussion, state minister for health and family planning Zahid Maleque said scarcity of skilled manpower still remains a great problem in the health sector of the country.

“We have less than five doctors at an upazila, but there are 10-20 posts for them. We lack adequate number of nurses and paramedics, too.”

Talking about challenges in the health sector of the country, he said, institutional delivery is very low while absence of doctors is perennial.

“If we can increase constant supervision and can reach the healthcare at doorsteps of the people and build patients’ trust on doctors, the medical services will be enhanced,” he observed.

He also said the community paramedics can be a significant helping hand to address the problem.

According to the government statistics, there are 13,000 government community clinics across the country, where the CPs can be employed.

Suyaiya Begum, registrar at the Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council (BNMC), said some of the community paramedics did really well in the examinations during the training courses.

She called on the government and the other private sectors to come forward to offer them jobs.

“If we can offer them jobs against their degrees, they will feel encouraged,” she added.

SM Mahiuddin Kamal, principal at the Radda Paramedic Institute, said there is no doubt that theoretical and practical courses of the paramedics are well updated.

“If we can offer the paramedics a more guided practical, computer and English language courses, they can do better in future.

“It will help poor of the poorest in the country to address their health problems,” he said.

Speaking at the roundtable, Mashreka Parveen, a paramedic, said, “We want to reduce mortality rate of the child and mother in the country.

“We have skills to treat post-pregnancy and post-natal healthcare of a mother and new-born.

“My appeal is to let us apply for the posts at the community clinics as a paramedic.”

WaterAid country director Khairul Islam said, “Community paramedics are qualified for jobs at the government’s community clinic.

“We should also create entrepreneurship opportunity for their self-dependency.”

UNFPA’s specialist adviser Syed Abu Zafar Mohammad Musa said role of the community paramedics are important for marginalised people as the CPs usually go back to their community after completing the courses.

He also urged the authorities concerned to acknowledge their qualities.

“Formation of an accreditation cell to check both qualities and standard of the students and teachers is essential,” he suggested.

Zahidur Rahman, secretary at the State Medical Faculty of Bangladesh, said there is a huge job opportunity for the paramedics abroad.

“But, we should maintain standard of the paramedics.”

CPTI Association convener Rabiul Karim said as the paramedics have a six-month practical experience at the hospital, they have ability to refer the patients to the better hospital.

Zafar Ahman Hakim, senior advisor at IRHSCPP, urged the authorities concerned to bring the noble profession forward for welfare of the society.

“Once community paramedics are recruited at the community clinics, it’ll ensure quality medical services at the clinics,” said Mohammad Sharif, director MCHS and LD-MCRAH, family planning department.

Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, president of Bangladesh Medical Association, said there are thousands of community clinics and union medical centres across the country.

If the paramedics are appointed, they will serve the community better there.

Prothom Alo associate editor Abdul Quayum moderated the roundtable.