Dhaka: President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday urged specialist physicians to reduce their consultation fees and restrain from prescribing ‘unnecessary medical tests’ for the benefit of the common people.

“Many specialist physicians’ consultation fee is beyond the capacity of common people. So you (doctors) have to take steps to reduce the treatment cost,” UNB reported him as saying.

The President said this while addressing the sixth biennial conference of Bangladesh Community Ophthalmological Society (BCOS) at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the city.

Observing that modern medical science has been able to evolve new systems for both diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, President Hamid said the doctors need to be updated about the latest technology and treatment.

“You (doctors) have to be careful so that patients are not deprived of necessary treatments in the name of unnecessary medical tests. You have to keep in mind that people depend on doctors, next to the creator, to recover from various diseases,” the President said.

He went on saying “So, it’s your holy duty to maintain their confidence. Besides, the contribution of common people is not insignificant to place you in your present positions because the expanses of medical colleges are provided from the taxpayers’ money.  That’s why it is your moral duty and responsibility to provide them the due medical treatment.”

About the conference, he said the ophthalmologists both from home and abroad have gathered here which has created a scope for exchanging mutual efficiency and experience.

He hoped that new direction regarding diagnosis as well as technological knowledge will come out from the conference.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, former PM’s adviser Prof Syed Modasser Ali, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Prof Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan, DG of the Directorate General of Health Services Deen Mohammad Noorul Huq and secretary general of BCOS Dr Inamur Rahman Chowdhury, spoke at the prgramme held with BCOS president Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed in the chair.

Fourteen opthalmologists were honoured for their contributions to eye treatment.