Bangladesh lags behind in physiotherapy
Despite increasing demand for physiotherapy due to rise in pain-related diseases and disability in society, the country's healthcare sector seriously lacks knowledge and facilities for this treatment without medicine, a Prothom Alo roundtable was told on Wednesday.
Social welfare minister Rashed Khan Menon, speaking there, expressed his surprise as most of the government-run hospitals do not have physiotherapists and required facilities to meet the demand.
Many Bangladeshi patients who need physiotherapy have to go abroad, stakeholders said at the roundtable on “Importance and crisis of physiotherapy in the health sector and way forward”. It was organised with the assistance from Bangladesh Physical Therapy Association.
Given the vacuum in physiotherapy treatment at home, many patients are reportedly cheated. Physiotherapy practitioners and doctors said there is no regulation to address the situation and provide support to many untrained service providers in the country.
There is no independent institution either for physiotherapy education unlike facilities available in other countries, the discussants pointed out.
The minister informed the stakeholders that the government has already formulated a draft law to form a regulatory council.
“I think all hospitals should have physiotherapists to meet our national demand,” Rashed Khan Menon said and extended his support to the idea of making an independent institution for physiotherapy education.
Dalilur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Physical Therapy Association, regretted that the physiotherapists do not have recognition in the country.
“Even our neighbouring country (India) treats their physiotherapists much better than Bangladesh does. They have a council for physiotherapists,” he said.
In Bangladesh, there are only 3,000 physiotherapy graduates, who were given bachelor's degree from Dhaka University, Dalilur informed the gathering.
President of 'Health Rights Movement' Rashid E Mahbub said there is no denying that physiotherapy is important for healthcare.
Referring to occassional professional conflict between doctors and physiotherapists due to lack of proper recognition, he said, "This conflict can be resolved as doctors and physiotherapists have two different roles."
United Hospital's senior consultant Iqbal Hasan Mahmud explained physiotherapy is more effective and sustainable for pain management and treating patients of acute diseases such as stroke.
Among others, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital vice principal Shahadat Hossain, Dhaka University Social Welfare department professor ASM Atiqur Rahman, BPA general secretary Farid Uddin, BPA vice president Yasmin Ara and its joint secretary Mohsin Kabir, and former principal of Begum Badrunnesa Government Women's College Hajera Nazrul addressed the roundtable moderated by Prothom Alo associate editor Abdul Quayum.