Staff Reporter : State for Health Affairs Dr. Rokeya Sultana said no one should do any work if quality is not maintained. This quality is also desired in teaching methods and hospital management.

She said in a discussion programme  titled "Improving the quality of private health education and dealing with the challenges of the ongoing student crisis in the admission process" where eminent persons from the Ministry of Health and principals and experts of private medical colleges. were present.

"Automation is not a new system, it was there during the Pakistan period as well. Due to this method, many people are facing problems in admission. I am a victim of it myself. Due to this automation I could not get admission in Dhaka Medical College. "

Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA) organized the programme on May 25 at 11.00 am in CIRDAP Auditorium of the capital.

Former Foreign minister and Chairman of Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. A. K.M Abdul Momen said the quality of doctors in our hospital is good. People's trust should be brought to the hospital, competition should be increased. People will reciprocate if the quality of treatment increases.

Organiser said that private college authorities including the students who want admission in all the private medical colleges of the country are already facing difficulties due to the automation system in medical admissions in the country. 

The guests who participated in the discussion were- Former Principal Secretary Abdul Karim,  Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) 

Prof Dr Jamaluddin Chowdhury,  Head of Education World Bank South Africa Dr. Mokhlesur Rahman, President of BPMCA M. A. Mubin Khan, Seceral secretary of BPMC Dr. Anwar Hossain Khan, MP,  Chairman of Eastern Medical College and Hospital

Dr. Shah Md. Salim, former president of the organization Moazzem Hossain, treasurer of the organization Habibul Haque, popular medical college - chairman Dr. Mostafizur Rahman, Ad-Deen Women's Medical College-Principal Dr. Md. Afiqur Rahman, City Medical College and Hospital Managing Director Dr. Md. Rifaitullah Sharif, Munnu Medical College Non-Hospital Representative Prof. Akhtaruzzaman, Brahmanbaria Medical College Non-Hospital Vice-Chairman Saimum Cyrus and others.

They also said It is not possible for the government alone to ensure medical education for all in this country of huge population. In this case, along with the government, private medical colleges and hospitals are advancing in medical education.   After the introduction of private medical, the students who wanted to get admission were always getting an opportunity in the medical college of their choice based on their merit. According to earlier admission rules, the admission test was held simultaneously across the country. Students could get admission in the institution of their choice. Last year there was a surprising change in admissions in private medical colleges. Automation was introduced last year amid strong opposition from stakeholders in the name of quality control of medical education. This procedure has been continued this year. This year 1200 seats are vacant in private medical colleges. Even more than half of the seats in medical colleges remain vacant. As a result, Bangladesh Private Medical College Association has claimed that this important sector of education is under threat. 

BPMCA president Mubin Khan said, "The blueprint has been laid to destroy the private medical college sector. Remember—it's hard to build an institution, it's easy to destroy it. Students will be admitted according to their choice. But they can't admit because of automation. Everyone including students and parents are disappointed. Students are getting discouraged to enter this profession now Attempts are being made to destroy this sector in the name of automation." 

Habibul Haque, treasurer of the organization, "The automation method has been taken from other countries. But the situation of other countries and our situation has not been considered in applying it to our own case. In other countries, 10 people take the exam against one seat. There is a need for automation. It is not like that in our country. The secrio is different in our country."

In the academic year 2022-2023 where the number of applications was 15, 1 person was absent for interview and there were no empty seats. But on the other hand, 4 seat are found vacant for academic year 2023 to 2024. Similarly, according to the data of Zahurul Medical College, a private educational institution in Kishoreganj, in the academic year 2023-2024, the number of applications was 14, but only one participated in the interview. In the academic year 2022-2023, there were 2 students who were admitted under the irregular quota in the previous year, but this year the number is zero. 

They said this picture is not only the private medical college in the capital Dhaka but also the medical college of all the districts in Bangladesh.

Owners of private medical colleges said that automation has been introduced to destroy the private sector. It is not possible for the government alone to ensure everyone's health care. The management of the government is also limited compared to the demand. In this opportunity, the evil forces misled the policy makers of the government and introduced automation. It is their own fault for protecting the quality of education. It has been imposed on others. Apart from the government, many reputed private hospitals are providing medical services of international quality. 

A top official of the Department of Health said, "Private medical sector does not follow the rules for quality control. Admission is done in exchange of money. For this reason, we have introduced automation to control the quality and to allow those who are truly talented to study." "Government is in trouble because of some incompetent, inefficient and corrupt officials," said expert doctors.

The said the license is given after checking that everything is fulfilled in the private hospital approval. If the rules are not followed, there is a provision to take action. Without implementing it, automation was introduced by complaining that there is no quality in the private sectchoice

According to automation, there will be five students for one seat. It means private medical colleges can get admission  within 25000 serials.  Still 1200 seats are vacant 

Even with serial number more than 49000 this year. Seeing this situation, the Directorate of Health has opened the admission portal in the face of the demand of private medical colleges. But no one communicates. Foreign students are not coming either. But before the introduction of automation, students used to come to study medicine from different countries including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka. Dissatisfaction has also arisen among doctors. 

It should be noted that in the current academic year 2023-2024, about 1000 to 1200 seats are still vacant out of 628 seats for local and foreign students in 67 private medical colleges of the country. 

A road map has been prepared and steps have been taken to quickly implement it by discussing what needs to be done to meet the challenges of the ongoing student crisis in the quality improvement and admission process of private medical education in Bangladesh.