Poet and activist Farhad Mazhar has demanded that the current government must form a National Nurse Commission without delay and must recognise the nursing profession by implementing the internationally adopted “Health for All” policy.
He made this demand while speaking as the chief guest at a press conference organised by the Bangladesh Nurses Association (BNA) at the National Press Club on Thursday.
Mazhar said, “We have gathered today to ensure health for all. The current interim government must recognise the nursing profession by implementing the internationally adopted ‘Health for All’ policy.”
According to Farhad Mazhar, healthcare in the country has become “doctor-ised”. Mazhar said, “The patient is placed entirely under doctors. A doctor gives a prescription at least twice. A good doctor gives slightly fewer prescriptions, and those medicines are produced by big companies. Five out of 10 shops on the street are pharmacies.”
Questioning the government’s commitment, he said, “The government previously promised to ensure health for all. Now we want to know, why hasn’t that promise been implemented? And the current government should investigate the failures of the previous government. It was said that crores of taka in loans were brought from abroad for the health sector – where did that money go?”
Mazhar further stated that it is not possible to ensure the health of the general public without securing the respect, professional dignity, and rights of nurses. He also informed that nurses will soon be integrated with the health movement to make it stronger.
