The High Court has ordered the government to issue circular asking doctors to write prescriptions clearly, so that the names of the medicines recommended can be understood.
The government has to issue the circular by 30 days. Doctors can write in block letters or print the prescriptions so that there is no hassle in understanding the document.
Health secretary and registrar of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council have been asked to submit a report before the High Court in six weeks after complying with the order.
The HC also issued a rule upon the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks as to why they should not be directed to take effective steps to issue prescription for the patient in capital letters or offer a printed copy to patients.
The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman came up with the order and rule today following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.
The organisation submitted the petition to the HC on January 2 following a report published on the ‘Daily Bonik Barta’ on December 17 last year, under a headline “Patients are in risk of taking wrong medicine” due to the handwriting of doctors.
During hearing today, petitioners’ council Manzill Murshed told the court that many doctors write the name of medicine in the prescription in such a manner that the patient and pharmacy staff cannot understand them properly.
Sometimes pharmacy staff sell wrong medicine to the patient due to such problem and therefore the patient’s health fall in danger by taking false medicine, he said.
Report: The Daily Star
