More medical colleges, but what about quality?

Following its policy to have public medical colleges in every district, the government has taken steps to open five new medical colleges. This is undoubtedly a necessity, but certain studies have shown that there are more physicians than required in the country. Quantity may not be the problem, but quality certainly is sadly lacking. More and more patients opt to go abroad for treatment. Had they been able to avail quality treatment here, they would not have gone abroad.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, health minister Mohammad Nasim said that medical colleges were being opened in Naogaon, Netrakona, Magura and Nilphamari. Admissions would begin this year. Establishment of a medical college in Chandpur was also underway. There would be 250 seats for students in these five medical colleges. And, overall, another 50 seats have been increased for the current academic year. That means, there will be 750 more students gaining admission this academic year than previous years.

The matter of concern is that most of the new and already existing medical colleges do not have an adequate number of qualified teachers. The infrastructure of these institutions is inadequate too. According to a Prothom Alo report, there are 9,403 teachers in the country’s public and private medical colleges. The requirement is for 25,300. That means these colleges are functioning with a 65% deficit in teachers.

Prothom Alo investigations reveal that the private institutions are not adhering to the rules regarding establishing and running medical colleges. Most of these medical colleges do not have the required physical infrastructure and equipment. Even the health ministry’s investigations have revealed the weaknesses in the new public medical colleges and the irregularities in the private ones.

There are over 52 thousand students in the country’s 36 public and 69 private medical colleges. According to Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), in order to receive recognition as a medical college, an institution must have computers, a general medical lab, surgery facilities, multimedia and photocopying equipment, a medical skill centre and so on, but most of these medical colleges do not have all this. BMDC regulations require one basic science teacher per every 10 students. But none of the medical maintains this ratio. They do not meet the conditions agreed upon while applying for permission. Steps have been taken against a couple of the medical colleges, but most of them remain unaccountable.

We maintain that ever medical college, whether public or private, must have the required number of experienced and skilled teachers. They must have the required equipment and infrastructure. Medical science is a matter of hand-on practical training. There can be no shortcuts. The sooner the government, that is, the health and family welfare ministry, realises this, the better.

It is being said that the number of medical colleges is being increased in order to increase the number of physicians. But experts say that increasing the number of physicians does not ensure an increase in medical services. Nurses and paramedics must be produced at the same rate. The government seems least bothered about this.