Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday issued a strict warning to government physicians and nurses to do their duties properly or quit their jobs.

“The health ministry should conduct a survey to find out how many patients go to government hospitals and why doctors are not found present in hospitals [district and upazila levels]. If the transferred doctors do not engage in service, then put them aside after making them OSD. We don't need them, we'll appoint new doctors,” she said.

The PM came up with the warning while visiting the health and family welfare ministry at the secretariat.

She said there was an attitude among nurses that they would not serve patients as their job status had been upgraded to second class. “No, this is not going to happen, they must serve [patients], we are giving them such an honour so that they serve well. Nurses are not supposed to just provide medicines to patients.”

The PM said upgrading their job status did not mean the government has to create another level of staff for providing services to patients.

“We don't need that second class ... whoever comes up with such an attitude; this is my clear-cut words.”

About the allegations that the doctors are not attending their duties in government hospitals across the country, Hasina asked the authorities concerned to introduce biometric attendance system in all hospitals to ensure 100 percent presence of the physicians.

She also put emphasis on bringing all the hospitals under CC camera surveillance for ensuring the security of doctors and nurses.

Hasina asked the doctors and nurses to pay due attention when a patient came to a hospital. “Doctors must develop a service-oriented attitude."

Talking about the private practice by physicians, Hasina said doctors in Bangladesh could do private practice unlike many other countries in the world where government physicians were not allowed to do so.

The PM said the government might give special incentives to those who were not involved in private practice. “We can also think about it.”

Hasina said there were allegations that some doctors, after their office hours, performed surgeries in private hospitals till late night. “How will they take care of patients in public hospitals in the morning? Attention should be given to this as well.”

She also asked the officials concerned to upgrade the curriculum so that the doctors of the country could be on a par with other doctors across the world.

Hasina asked the ministry to enhance its watch on the private medical colleges to make sure that the students would get proper education to become good doctors.

She also asked the officials concerned to look into the matter of medical waste management with due importance.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and State Minister for Health and Family Welfare M Murad Hasan were, among others, present.