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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday said public confidence in Bangladesh’s healthcare system can be fully restored through compassionate patient care, professional responsibility and quality medical services.
“People’s trust in the healthcare system can be regained only through the sincere and humanitarian approach of doctors and healthcare workers, along with proper treatment,” he said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing a views exchange meeting titled “DMCians’ Thoughts on the Modernisation of Bangladesh’s Healthcare System” at the auditorium of Dhaka Medical College (DMC), marking the institution’s 81st founding anniversary.
His spouse, Dr Zubaida Rahman, attended the programme as the special guest.
Highlighting the importance of improving healthcare services, Tarique Rahman said punctuality, accountability and compassionate behaviour by doctors are essential to strengthening the country’s health sector.
Referring to the growing number of Bangladeshis seeking treatment abroad, he said nearly US$5 billion leaves the country every year on overseas medical expenses.
“Why can’t we provide the same quality of treatment in our own country? Why can’t we earn the trust of our people? This cannot be achieved through laws alone. Only doctors can restore that confidence through their humanitarian approach and proper treatment,” he said, urging medical professionals to place greater emphasis on patient care.
The Prime Minister said the government has begun recruiting 100,000 healthcare workers, of whom 80 percent will be women, to expand preventive and primary healthcare services at the community level.
These workers, he said, will provide family-based healthcare advice at people’s doorsteps, enabling early detection and prevention of diseases.
“A healthy nation is not built by hospitals alone,” he said. “Good health depends on family awareness, a clean environment, safe food, regular exercise, timely health advice and responsible citizenship.”
Emphasising the principle that “prevention is better than cure,” the Prime Minister said the government wants to make healthcare more accessible by focusing on early diagnosis and preventive care.
He noted that timely advice on nutrition, immunisation, maternal health, child development, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, heart disease and cancer can significantly improve treatment outcomes.
“Regular health check-ups and lifestyle changes can prevent or control many diseases at an early stage,” he added.
Tarique Rahman said the government has allocated Tk 69,409 crore to the health sector in the current national budget, the highest allocation in the country’s history after education.
The allocation represents 1.02 percent of GDP, and the government plans to gradually increase health spending to 5 percent of GDP over the next five years, he said.
Alongside higher budgetary allocations, the government has reduced or withdrawn VAT and taxes on several essential medical devices and treatment materials, including dialysis filters, heart stents, heart valves, pacemakers, oxygenators, peripheral vascular stents, radiofrequency ablation fibres, intraocular lenses and selected raw materials used in cancer treatment.
The Prime Minister also announced plans to upgrade all upazila hospitals to 101-bed facilities in phases.
“Only five of the country’s 500 upazilas currently have 100-bed hospitals, which is inadequate for the size of the population. As a result, many patients are forced to travel to cities for treatment,” he said.
To address the problem, all existing 31- to 51-bed hospitals will gradually be expanded to 101 beds. Rooftop solar power systems will also be installed to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply at hospitals across the country.
The Prime Minister said child healthcare remains another priority for the government.
He said initiatives have already been taken to quickly operationalise five children’s hospitals, including two newly built 200-bed specialised children’s hospitals in Barishal and Rajshahi.
“These initiatives will ensure that specialised paediatric healthcare is no longer confined to Dhaka but becomes available in different regions of the country,” he added.
