Dhaka: Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB) has started to provide treatment under Mobile-based Teleconsultation Support (MTS) programme, from Thursday.

Under the MTS programme, 59 BGB battalion and their family members have been brought under treatment facilities.

BGB’s Director General (DG) Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed on Thursday formally inaugurated MTS programme at BGB headquarters in the city on Thursday. Under the programme, five BGB’s five hospitals-Pilkhana, Satkania of Chittagong, Jaliyapara of Khagrachhori, Thakurgaon, and Chuadanga-will provide treatments through MTS.

Briefing reporters at BGB Pilkhana headquarters on Thursday, the DG BGB said 59 BGB battalions and their family members will get benefits from this programme.

He said BGB’s hospitals have been facing lack of adequate doctors. Only Pilkhana hospital has specialized physicians. The MTS programme has been introduced so that other hospitals get advised by the specialized doctors, the DG BGB said.

BGB members have to guard to protect 4427-kms of borders across the country. Many of them receive injuries during duty for various reasons in remote areas or fall sick during leave. They will get advice from doctors for immediate treatment through MTS, he said.  

Earlier on July 1 last year, BGB started the MTS programme with Beta version experimentally. Since then, around 3500 BGB members and their family members received instant treatment over mobile phone.

When a BGB member or family member contacts the on-duty doctor through hotlines, the physician wants to know about the complication and then sends a prescription to the patient through SMS.

It cost BGB around Tk 24 lakh for installing software for the MTS programme.