The Daily Morning Voice Online Desk: Doctors of government hospital would be allowed to do private practices in their respective hospitals from March of this year, Health Minister Zahid Maleque has said. He said, “Health Ministry wants to start this process from March 1.  A pilot project is being launched for this purpose.” The Health Minister made the remarks at a press briefing held at his office in Dhaka on Sunday.

Zahid Maleque said, “We want to start institutional practice from next March 1. Fifty upazilas, 20 districts and five medical centers would be brought under a pilot project. Patients would get more treatment under this initiative.” He further said, “Practice in government institutes has been discussed so that they (doctors) can practice in their respective institutions. We formed a team to decide on who to practice, how long it would be and how to practice. They (team) will inform us. Institutional practice will start from March.”

About fee of the practice, the Health Minister expressed hope that physicians would charge less in their respective institutions in comparison to practice in private institutions. The Health Minister said, “We hope to be able to implement it. Private practice is not a new concept. Guidelines will be needed to start this project. We will start working for it with all efforts, including time and money.” “If any problem arises while working to implement this project, we would solve it.”