Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the government will take effective steps to create more specialist physicians to provide better medical services in the country.

‘We’ll take steps so that specialist physicians are created in all the fields of medical services, including ophthalmology and ENT (Otorhinolaryngology),’ she said, reports the UNB.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating Community Vision Centres in 20 upazilas of eight districts centring Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Institute in Gopalganj through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban aiming to provide better ophthalmological services among the local people.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has established one medical university in Dhaka while three more will be set up in Chattogram, Rajshahi and Sylhet as its aim is to establish one medical university in all the divisional headquarters.

Besides, the Prime Minister said, her government is setting up medical colleges across the country to provide healthcare services at the door steps of people.

Hasina said the government will create expert physicians through giving them training.

She also said the government has taken an initiative to groom nurses through proper training alongside providing training to physicians as it is the duty of the government to provide services to people.

‘Power is not a matter of enjoyment to me; it’s a matter of performing duty and responsibility to me. So, I want to perform my duty,’ she said.

Mentioning that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman liberated the country, Hasina said. ‘I always keep that in my mind, so it is my first duty to serve people.’

The Prime Minister announced that there will a separate fund for the Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Eye Hospital and Training Institute in Gopalganj to provide medical services to the ultra-poor.

She announced to donate Tk 20 crore from PM’s Relief and Welfare Fund in this connection. ‘The interest that will come from this money will be used for the eye-related treatment of the ultra-poor across the country.’

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim, State Minister Zahid Maleque and former Adviser to the Prime Minister Prof Dr Syed Modasser Ali also spoke at the programme.