There are few opportunities for hands-on education. There is a shortage of labs and teachers. There is no permanent campus of its own. The housing crisis is also evident. The country’s six government medical colleges are dealing with these issues. The government is rethinking their quality. There is no compromise on the quality of medical education. If the quality cannot be ensured, the government will close it.
Out of a total of 110 medical colleges in the country, 37 are government colleges. Among them, Netrokona, Chandpur, Habiganj, Naogaon, Magura and Nilphamari are unable to ensure minimum standards of government medical education. Recently, there was news of the closure of these six medical colleges. This has shaken the teachers and officials in charge of the concerned institutions. Along with this, the politicians and influential people of the area have also become active. They are working to overcome the crisis and ensure the survival of the institutions. The government is also saying that they will withdraw the decision to close them if quality education is ensured.
It is known that there are various rules and conditions for establishing private medical colleges, but there are none in the government. Due to which several medical colleges were established during the previous government’s tenure to fulfill political promises. They do not have permanent campuses, adequate classrooms and teachers, or even labs. Although they are medical colleges in name, they are coming out as doctors with substandard education. The new government has taken a strict decision regarding six such government medical colleges. They say that substandard medical education cannot be maintained. Whatever needs to be done to ensure quality, must be done. Otherwise, they will be closed.
34 out of 84 posts vacant at Netrokona Medical College
OurNetrokona correspondent said that there are 309 students at Netrokona Medical College. There are 84 approved posts of professors, associate professors, assistant professors, lecturers and curators. There are 50 working people. Out of the 12 posts of professors, 11 posts except the principal are vacant. The medical college operates on 13 floors. Out of these, classes are held on 12. Administrative activities are held on one. Each floor is 1600-3000 square feet. It has been decided to give 50 acres of land from the 500 acres of Netrokona University to the medical college. In this context, there is a file with the land ministry for the land registration. If it is approved, the medical college will not need to acquire new land.
Chandpur Medical College is running in ward-cabin of Sadar Hospital
Our Chandpur Correspondent said that Chandpur Government Medical College does not have its own building. There are no necessary teachers for teaching medical education. There are no necessary laboratories and libraries for students to learn hands-on. There is a housing crisis to live together. Chandpur Government Medical College has been running its educational activities for the last seven years in 11 small rooms of cabins and wards at Chandpur Sadar General Hospital.
Chandpur Medical College started its academic journey with 50 students in 2019. Currently, 400 students are studying in the medical college. Although Chandpur Medical College has not got a permanent campus even in seven years. Since the land acquisition has not been finalized, the medical college is running its activities at Chandpur Government General Hospital. There is no end to the anger and suffering of the students regarding this. Currently, there are 55 teachers. However, so far, 23 posts of teachers based on different subjects are vacant.
Chandpur Government Medical College Vice Principal Dr. Md. Harun Or Rashid told Daily Industry, ‘Land acquisition work is ongoing. Gradually, many problems of infrastructure and students and teachers will be solved. Now the students are not facing any problems. There is no reason for Chandpur Medical College to be closed. What is being spread on social media Facebook is a rumor.’
Chandpur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mohsin Uddin said, “The acquisition of the land for Chandpur Medical College has reached the final stage. However, it is not yet possible to say how long it will take. There is no complication in Chandpur Medical College in particular. We have not received any information or notice that it will be closed.”
Habiganj Medical College does not have a permanent campus
Habiganj representative Syed Ekhlasur Rahman Khokon said that 51 teachers including professors, associate professors, and assistant professors are working at Habiganj Medical College. There are 28,000 square feet of classrooms. Since the establishment of the medical college, an average of 800 to 1,000 patients receive medical facilities at the District Sadar Hospital daily.
Habiganj Medical College Principal Professor Dr. Mohammad Jabed Zillul Bari told Daily Industry, “There is only one big problem in Habiganj Medical College, which is that there is no permanent campus. I hope that all problems will be solved once this problem is solved. Moreover, we have much more opportunities here compared to many other medical colleges. Students get the opportunity to see a lot of patients because there is a hospital nearby.
He said, “For the permanent campus, if the government wants, it can build a campus by building a few big buildings on the land of Sadar Adhunik Hospital. There are many medical colleges on less land than this. If this is done, there will be no need to acquire land. Transportation facilities are also good. The cost will be reduced a lot. Besides, there is a lot of government land around the city. If the government wants, it can also use that land. This will save money.”
Naogaon Medical College in an old building
The Naogaon Medical College is operating in the old building of the 250-bed Naogaon General Hospital. A part of the second floor has been allocated for the Special Medical College. The college needs a minimum of seven lecture halls (classrooms) for its 320 students, but there are only four.
Nilphamari Medical in the Matts building
Since there is no MATS activity in Nilphamari, the medical college is operating in various buildings built for MATS. The construction of a building on about 35 acres of land adjacent to the Health Department is in the process, said Principal Jimma Hossain.
The old building of Magura Hospital has been converted into three lecture halls, eight tutorial classrooms, two laboratories, conference rooms, a library, a teachers’ lounge, and a common room for students for the medical college. Separate accommodation facilities for male and female students have also been ensured.
‘It is not closed, the decision has been made to ensure the quality of medical education’
Regarding the decision to close the medical college, Director General of the Directorate of Health Education, Professor Dr. Nazmul Hossain told Daily Industry, “We are aware of the problems of the six medical colleges. There have been discussions on how to solve these problems. Of course, one option is to close them. But that decision has not been made yet. The decision has been made on how to eliminate the weaknesses!”
He said, “The decision on one issue is final that substandard medical education can’t be maintained. Whether it is government or private. Of course, its minimum standards must be ensured. And whatever needs to be done for this standard will be done. First, efforts will be made to improve the standards. Otherwise, the current capacity of the colleges will be reduced. For example, 75 students are allowed to be admitted, but from next year it will be reduced to 50. If that also does not work, the last option is to close it. However, we will try not to close it.”
