Recruitment of 1,400 more physicians for upazila health complexes is now under process to ensure medicare to the people at the grassroots level, Prime Minister Khaleda

Zia told Parliament yesterday.

Already over 3,000 physicians have been appointed by the present government, she said during the PM's question-answer session.

The Prime Minister informed the House that 3,176 posts of medical

officers and 3,176 of health assistants have been created at the union level to reach health services at the doorsteps of the ordinary people.

Replying to a supplementary from Mojibur Rahman (Jatiya Party), she said that as the recruitment of physicians is processed through the Public Service Commission (PSC), it takes some time for the appointments.

Khaleda said that her government is upgrading 31-bed hospitals to 50 beds while the 50-bed hospitals to 100 beds.

The 31-bed upazila health complexes in 60 upazilas have been upgraded to 50 beds while such upgradation is underway in 71 more upazilas, she told the House.

The Prime Minister said 2,000 nurses and 3,000 health assistants have been given appointments and the creation of 2,000 more posts for staff nurses is under consideration of the government.

Replying to another supplementary of Shamsul Alam Pramanik (BNP), she said trauma centres beside the highways across the country would be set up gradually for urgent treatment of the people injured in road accidents.

Out of the five trauma centres, the trauma centres in Sirajganj and Bhaluka in Mymensingh have been completed while the project in Feni and Bhanga upazila in Faridpur are nearing completion. The trauma centre in Daudkandi upazila in Comilla is under construction.

Listing the government's steps and achievements in the health sector, Khaleda said the government has set it as one of the major targets to reach the basic facilities of health services to the common people as well as to improve their health and nutrition status.