World Medical Association (WMA) has issued an urgent call to the highest authorities of Bangladesh to halt what they called an alarming level of violence directed against physicians, healthcare personnel, and medical facilities across the country.
In an official letter issued on Wednesday, addressed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, the international body warned that recent reports indicate a deeply worrying pattern rather than isolated occurrences.
WMA issued the letter via Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva.
The statement came following a recent attack on Radda MCH-FP Centre in the city’s Mirpur-1 area, which saw a facility serving mothers and children turned into a scene of destruction for nearly three hours.
More than 200 people allegedly stormed the centre carrying local weapons, held two security guards hostage, and looted valuable equipment, medicines, vaccines, cash, and belongings.
Attackers subsequently brought in heavy machinery, including excavators, to demolish one permanent and three semi-permanent structures on the premises.
Worrying pattern of workplace violence
The global federation, representing millions of physicians worldwide in its mission to advance good practice, medical ethics, and international medical accountability, highlighted that healthcare workers nationwide face physical assaults and intimidation.
Emergency departments and other medical care facilities have suffered acts of vandalism. According to the correspondence, many of these hostile acts are reportedly carried out by relatives of patients, frequently following the death of a patient.
Studies conducted within Bangladesh further demonstrate that a substantial proportion of healthcare personnel have personally experienced or witnessed workplace violence in their settings, the letter read.
Severe impact on health infrastructure
Strongly condemning all forms of violence against medical staff and facilities, the association emphasised that such attacks bring grave and far-reaching repercussions.
Beyond inflicting physical injuries and psychological trauma on staff, the violence impairs the overall quality, continuity, and accessibility of patient care.
Moreover, the letter stressed that these incidents erode public trust in the national health system and exacerbate pressure on an already overstretched healthcare sector.
Reaffirming the state’s fundamental obligations set out in the WMA Statement on Workplace Violence in the Health Sector and the WMA Declaration on the Protection and Integrity of Medical Personnel in Armed Conflicts and Other Situations of Violence, WMA President Dr Jacqueline Kitulu reiterated that states hold a direct responsibility to guarantee the safety and security of patients, physicians, and healthcare workers at all times.
Four-point call for priority action
To resolve the crisis, the WMA urged the Government of Bangladesh to implement key measures as a matter of priority, working in consultation with the medical profession and relevant stakeholders to secure a safe working environment.
The government was called upon to adopt effective protective measures for personnel and facilities, ensure all attacks are promptly investigated with perpetrators held accountable, and strengthen systems for preventing, reporting, and monitoring workplace violence.
Additionally, the association urged the state to address the underlying causes of the hostility, including systemic challenges existing within the national health sector.
