President's Speech
For healthy wellbeing and quality of life in all ages, Physiotherapy is a proven science in health care. In the fast paced world, we need to be fit and healthy for the existence and survival from different diseases and disorders. Health can be affected by many reasons those can cause the people to suffer in different types of pain, paralysis, dysfunction, physical disability. These problems directly affect our body mobility, strength & stamina and badly jeopardize our lifestyle and we face difficulties in daily activities even we can also become physically dependent.
Evidently, it is proven that Physiotherapy specialists have a key role in enabling disabled people and patients with pain, thousands injured in July Revolution, COVID 19 survival and movement-related disorders. Physiotherapy Doctors are competent to enable them physically fit, improve their quality of life as well their functional abilities, bring them back in normal life, more social participation and overall to reduce healthcare cost. Due to essentiality, necessity and holistic importance, the revolution of Physiotherapy Profession has been established globally. As it is highly recognized around the world since 1921 to till now from Harvard Medical Schools to thousand world rank Universities have been offering Doctor of Physiotherapy, PhD in Physiotherapy, Master of Physiotherapy, Bachelor of Physiotherapy degrees. Universities are the highest concerned authority through the Government to recognize any treatment approach degrees. But in Bangladesh, it is very much unfortunate that Physiotherapy profession has no proper recognition, no physiotherapy council, no national institute, no physiotherapy post creation for Professionals. Though Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council Act was approved by National Parliament in 2018 but still it is not functional.
Historically, Physiotherapy Department was started during 1960 in Dhaka Medical College Hospital by Late Professor Abul Hossain and Physiotherapy degree education was started in NITOR(Pongu Hospital) under Medicine Faculty of Dhaka University by Late Professor Ronal J Gurst in 1973. Then this degree program is still going on there and some other Institutions with different limitations. Even though more than eight thousand Physiotherapy doctors are already completed their degrees. They have been practicing their learned knowledge, skills, and rendering physiotherapy treatments in private for millions of patients with utmost sincerity and excellency for more than sixty four years.
Concerning millions of pain, paralysis, and disability patients’ health and to reduce their sufferings as well reduce huge family/state burden and to bring them back in productive life, Government must take necessary initiatives very urgently. For this Bangladesh Physical Therapy Association has been advocating with government more than fifty years. And we are always ready to work with the Government to establish Bangladesh College of Physiotherapy, to create Government jobs with proper status as well as to create physiotherapy regulatory body. We strongly believe that Government Initiatives and supports are essential to meet the demand of Physiotherapy for the general people.
Dr. Dolilur Rahman
President
Bangladesh Physical Therapy Association (BPA)