Administrative delay stalls 10th grade for medical technologists

A move to raise medical technologists and diploma pharmacists in government service from the 11th grade to the 10th grade is stuck again because of administrative delay. The demand is more than three decades old. Time keeps passing while offices send letters to each other, ask for information and send reminders.

Sources at the Health Services Division said several organizations and institutions gave memorandums. They demanded the 10th grade for medical technologist and pharmacist posts in different health care institutions. A committee formed after this gave its opinion in favor of the upgrade. A proposal was then sent to the Ministry of Public Administration for necessary steps.

Last year, a letter signed by a Senior Assistant Secretary of the Health Services Division sent the proposal to the Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration. National dailies reported the matter the next day, and the professionals were full of hope. But the process has still not been finished. Those concerned say earlier moves for the 10th grade also failed because of official letters, requests for information and opinions at many levels.

They say the same thing is happening again this time. Documents show an inter ministry meeting was held early this year, and it made a positive decision. In mid January, the Expenditure Management Wing of the Finance Division gave its opinion on the financial effect of the 10th grade. It also asked for some new information. Soon after, the Administration 1 Section of the Health Ministry wrote to the Directorate General of Health Services to ask for the information the Finance Division needed.

Later that month, the Finance Division sent another memo. Early next month, the information was asked for again, citing that memo. But the needed information did not arrive, so the process did not move for a long time. Earlier this month, the Administration 1 Section of the Health Ministry sent another reminder. The letter named four memos from the Health Services Division, the Ministry of Public Administration and the Finance Division on the 10th grade.

It asked the Directorate General of Health Services to send the needed information. The letter said the information had been asked for many times before but had not been received yet. So it asked again for the information to be sent quickly. Mr. Khaja Mainuddin, President of the Bangladesh Medical Technologists Association (BMTA), said the professionals had new hope for the 10th grade after August 5. He said it is disappointing that the move fails at the final stage again and again. He said they have faced many administrative problems for a long time.

The professionals said the demand for the 10th grade, or second class status, for medical technologists has been put before government offices since 1989. They said the demand became stronger after the rank and pay scale of diploma engineers were raised. According to them, a 1994 notification of the Ministry of Public Administration gave diploma engineers working as sub assistant engineers and similar posts the 10th grade with second class status. A 2011 notification also raised diploma holder senior staff nurses, staff nurses and related nursing posts to the 10th grade with second class status.

The professionals also claim that diploma engineers working in different institutions under the Directorate General of Health Services get second class status and 10th grade benefits. They say medical technologists and pharmacists finish three or four year diplomas under the same ministry. Yet they stay in the 11th grade with third class status. According to the checklist of the Public Administration Rules Wing, the Directorate General of Health Services has 5,427 created posts for medical technologists.

Of these, 2,523 are in laboratory, 894 in radiology, 659 in dental, 457 in physiotherapy and 894 in radiotherapy. The created posts for pharmacists number 2,951. Together, the two professions have 7,719 posts. Those concerned count that 5,646 people in these posts already get pay and allowances equal to the 10th grade or higher.

So 2,073 posts need to be brought under the 10th grade benefit. About 10 percent of these posts are vacant, so they claim fewer than two thousand professionals may get the benefit now. Sources at the Directorate General of Health Services claim that making the 10th grade real will not need big changes to laws, rules, regulations or codes. They also recommended that raising the pay scale and rank will not harm the chain of command. They said the professionals will work under their earlier duties and job description.

Young professional Mr. Sohag Moni said a demand left unmet for over three decades can hurt the morale of professionals. He said these professionals do important work in health care, including disease diagnosis. Another young professional organizer, Mr. Uttam Kumar, said the main barrier is the lack of goodwill in the administration. He said many professionals of similar level have been given the 10th grade or even higher grades. But he said medical technologists and pharmacists keep being asked for new information and face delay.