Bangladesh Health Watch (BHW) shared findings from its stakeholder consultations on rural doctor retention with health managers at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Professor Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas, Director General of DGHS, chaired the meeting, and Professor Dr Jalal Uddin Mohammad Rumi, Director (Administration), moderated.

Presentation

Md Noorunnabi Talukder, BHW Technical Advisor, presented more than 20 recommendations. The main ones were:

• Cut physician recruitment time from 3–4 years to one year, and plan 5-year recruitment and a 10-year HRH strategy.
• Raise compulsory rural service from two to three years.
• Introduce automated, standardised posting and transfer.
• Create clear career tracks and more medical officer posts.
• Provide hardship and risk allowances and postgraduate admission quotas.
• Extend internship at district and upazila levels, and explore a GP system.

Discussion

Participants called for long-term workforce projections, district quotas in medical admission, rural training during postgraduate courses and biometric attendance monitoring.

Remarks

The Director General welcomed the initiative and stressed need-based recruitment, reliable data and a step-by-step approach. He asked BHW to continue its work and coordinate with the DGHS planning department. The Director (Administration) supported incentives and the proposed extra internship, and asked BHW to prepare minutes with proposals for forwarding to the health ministry.

Organised by Bangladesh Health Watch.