Staff Correspondent

Amid a surge in Coronavirus patients, the government has directed 1,239 doctors working at medical colleges to join Covid units at public hospitals and upazila health complexes across the country.

The decision was part of “the government efforts to tackle the Covid pandemic properly and ensure healthcare services”.

In multiple circulars on Sunday and Monday, the Health Services Division (HSD) instructed the doctors to join their newly-designated work stations by today.

However, the transfer orders would not be applicable to the doctors already involved in RT-PCR Covid test or those working in Covid-dedicated hospitals, according to another HSD circular issued yesterday evening.

A doctor who is the only teacher available in a department at a medical college is also exempted from such orders, it mentioned.

Besides, the HSD suspended the transfer orders that contain wrong information about the current workplaces of a number of doctors.

It has asked the authorities concerned to send to the health ministry lists of these doctors by tomorrow.

The government decision has triggered outrage among doctors who said the reshuffle was made in an “unplanned” way without any discussions with them.