Over 6,000 new physicians, who joined service yesterday, will be posted to healthcare facilities in upazilas and smaller administrative units in a week or two for at least two years.

The decision has been taken in a special move to improve services at upazila health complexes, union health and family welfare centres, and union sub-centres, community clinics, and other rural hospitals.

"Those who will work properly for two years will have the opportunity of higher education and better postings in the future," Health Minister Mohammad Nasim told the new physicians at their orientation programme, first of its kind, at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital yesterday.

Assuring physicians of all welfare facilities, the minister said the government was framing a law to protect physicians from any

attack. He, however, asked them not to go for any strikes holding patients hostage at the hospitals.

"Our parents and relatives mostly live in the villages. The rich and those living in the cities can avail healthcare at hospitals, but the rural people are deprived of healthcare. So, you must serve them, "said the minister.

Dr Abul Kalam Azad, additional director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told The Daily Star that if there were couples among the new physicians, they could get postings to the same hospital as per the new guidelines.

He said the government would ensure the physicians' presence in the hospitals through monitoring. "We expect a much better healthcare system in rural areas shortly," said Azad.

With the recruitment, nearly hundred percent posts for physicians at entry level in public hospitals have been filled. There are some

25,000 posts of physicians at the hospitals. Of them, some 2,000 posts of senior physicians, which are lying vacant, would be filled gradually through promotions, he said.

State Minister for Health Zahid

Maleque, former health minister Dr Ruhal Haque, Health Secretary MM Neaz Uddin, Director General of the DGHS Dr Deen Mohammad Noorul Huq, Bangladesh Medical Association Secretary General Prof Iqbal Arslan also addressed the event.