Speakers at a discussion yesterday criticised political parties, saying they scrap policies when they go to power forcing the common man and major service sectors including health to pay very dearly.

They called for adopting a longterm policy aimed at widening people's access to health care and offering prompt service to patients.

They were speaking on the 'Health and Population Policy' under the National Policy Review Forum 2003 organised jointly by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), The Daily Star and the Prothom Alo at the National Press Club.

Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain attended the function as the chief guest while former state minister for health Prof M Amanullah as the special guest.

Former secretary Faruq Sobhan Chowdhury presided over the

session while Dr Naushad Faiz presented the keynote paper.

Most of the speakers called for full integration of the health and family planning sectors.

They said the desired progress in the reduction of total fertility rate (TFL) could not be achieved because of the disintegration of the Health and Population Sector Programme (HPSP).

The present government is trying to disintegrate the health and population sector, they said.

Several leaders of the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) differed with the government decision on division of the health and population sector.

The discussants called for accountability of physicians. They expressed frustration over lack of provision for punishment for wrong treatment.

They also recommended monitoring and supervision of private

clinics and pathological laboratories.

Health Minister Dr Khandoker Mosharraf Hossain said no significant progress was made despite unification of the health and population sectors under the past government.

"Oil and water never mix up," he added.

The minister said the government took up a decision to separate the health and population sectors considering the deficiencies experienced during the rule of the past government.

"We have planned for a new Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme (HNPSP) instead of the HPSP," he said.

He called upon all concerned to work together to ensure health for all, saying there was no lack of will to this end.

Prof Amanullah differed with the health minister: "As a practising

physician, I cannot support the disunification of the health and population sector."

He said there might be some flaws at the beginning of a programme and that is why his government could not scrap it.

He said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had extended support for the HPSP.

National Professor Nurul Islam said people in the rural areas had long been subjected to neglect. Eighty per cent of patients live in villages while 80 per cent of physicians live in urban areas, he added.

Islam said there was no proper treatment at government hospitals so private clinics were largely situated opposite to government hospitals.

G M Kader, MP, accused doctors of neglecting patients at public hospitals.

"Government hospitals have developed into a trap for leading

patients to private clinics," he said.

Prof M S Akbar, MP, underscored the need for accountability of the health sector. He demanded stern punishment for wrong treatment by doctors.

Dr Faiz highlighted some key achievements in the health sector including rise in life expectancy. He, however, expressed concern over the stagnant TFR.

Earlier, Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam welcomed the guests in the session.

Prof Saleh Ahmed, former vice chancellor of the Jahangir Nagar University, Prof Sultana Jahan, additional director general of the health directorate, Faruk Ahmed of BRAC, AKM Azizul Hoque of BMA and Syed Akram Hossain, Fazlul Karim of FBCCI and Kabir Hossain of Bangladesh Centre for Labour Studies also spoke.