Bangladeshi court goes tough against doctors' sloppy handwriting

A High Court Division bench in Bangladesh has directed the government to ask doctors in the country to write prescriptions clearly, a Health Ministry official said Tuesday.

The bench directed relevant government departments to issue a circular in 30 days asking all doctors to write prescriptions clearly with the medicine names either in block letters or in print, the official said.

Justice Naima Haider and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the direction on Monday after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition of a local organization -- Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

Manzill Murshid, petitioner's lawyer, drew the apex court's attention to a local media report under the caption - "Illegible prescriptions: Patients at risk of taking wrong medicines."

Like other South Asian countries, prescriptions from doctors in Bangladesh are often illegible, which can be fatal for patients.