‘They’re tired’: Bangladesh to hire 8,000 doctors and nurses to tackle COVID

The Bangladesh government is appointing 4,000 doctors and the same number of nurses to provide medicare with coronavirus infections surging at a record pace.

“We will hire more because the doctors and nurses are tired from treating coronavirus patients for one and a half years,” Health Minister Zahid Maleque told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Monday.

He said the recruitment process will be completed “very fast”, but did not give a specific time.

The health ministry has asked the authorities to skip viva and police verification to fast-track the recruitment, the minister said. “They need to join fast.”

The Public Service Commission had published a notice in June to appoint 409 anaesthetists to the posts of junior consultant only based on viva.

The PSC had also published the notice for the 42nd special exams of Bangladesh Civil Service for the appointment of 2,000 assistant surgeons under the health cadre to tackle COVID-19 in November last year.

As many as 27,573 candidates took the preliminary exams on Feb 26 this year, the first BCS tests held after the outbreak had begun on Bangladesh.

The viva of 6,022 candidates, who passed the written exams, began on Jun 6, but it was suspended on Jun 22 due to a deterioration of the coronavirus situation.

Maleque said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had ordered to strengthen vaccination at wards, unions, and Upazilas.

The government is also working to strengthen immunisation of the elderly, who are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, he said.