Intern physicians on Sunday announced that they would go for a tougher movement from Monday over their five-point demand, including reserving the title 鈥榙octor鈥� exclusively for holders of MBBS or BDS degrees.
Interns of Rajhahi Medical College Hospital had already announced a complete shutdown from Monday while another group extended their work abstention until 7:00pm daily.
Earlier, Doctors鈥� Movement for Justice had been observing work abstention from 11:00am to 3:00pm since March 5, said Habibur Rahman Sohagh, a leader of the movement.
The National Steering Committee to implement 5-point demand has announced that they will launch a mass signature campaign and a symbolic certificate-burning programme on Monday noon and hold a press conference at the National Press Club in the afternoon on the day.
Post-graduate doctor Zabir Hossain said that from the press conference they would announce a tougher movement.
Their five-point demand includes allowing only MBBS and BDS degree holders to use the title of 鈥榙octor,鈥� and withdrawal of the High Court writ against BMDC鈥檚 decision within 72 hours.
The other demands are stopping of the registration process, which started in 2010, for MATS graduates through BMDC, updating of the over-the-counter drug list in line with global medical standards, allowing only MBBS and BDS doctors to prescribe drugs outside the OTC list, and barring pharmacies from selling such medicines without a registered doctor鈥檚 prescription.
Additionally, the doctors also demanded implementing a law for doctors鈥� protection.
At a press conference in Rajshahi, Md Abdullah, president of the RMCH Intern Doctor Forum, said that they would go for a three-day complete shutdown beginning on Monday as they saw no progress in meeting their five-point demand.
Abdullah also threatened that they would suspend emergency services, outpatient services, and private practice if their demands were not met by March 12.
Earlier, RMCH intern physicians and Rajshahi Medical College students formed a human chain in front of the medical college over their five-point demand.
On February 23, the interns and students, mostly from public medical colleges, went for a complete shutdown programme, seeking the reservation of the title 鈥榙octor鈥� exclusively for the holders of MBBS or BDS degrees, among other demands.
Later, they postponed their strike on March 2 following the assurance from the health and family welfare adviser of meeting their demands.