Berlin:The government of Bangladesh and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have announced a joint investment of £250 million aimed at enhancing women's health and strengthening healthcare in Bangladesh.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the initiative, named 'Women's Health Initiative', aims to expand healthcare services to approximately 47 million women and adolescent girls between 2027 and 2031. This was revealed during the 'Women's Health and Enhancing Healthcare Resilience' meeting at the Bangladesh Embassy in Berlin, Germany, coinciding with the World Health Summit 2026.
The initiative will focus on improving maternal and newborn healthcare, treating cervical and breast cancer, and enhancing emergency obstetric services. Additionally, it will bolster primary healthcare, district hospitals, patient transfer and referral systems, and critical care services. The program also aims to prepare for future pandemics and other health emergencies.
Bangladesh's Health and Family Welfare Minister, Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain, emphasized the importance of safeguarding the health of women and adolescent girls for the nation's future. He highlighted the government's commitment to providing quality healthcare for all, prioritizing disease prevention, and the importance of partnerships, such as those with the EIB and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in achieving these goals.
Prime Minister's Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Ziauddin Hyder, noted that the investment would help transform the healthcare system from a treatment-focused model to one emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion. Marek Mora, EIB Vice-President, stated that investments in women's health contribute to stronger families, more resilient communities, and sustainable economic development.
The UNFPA and its 'WomenX Collective' program supported the development of this initiative and will provide technical assistance during its implementation. UNFPA Executive Director, Diene Keita, remarked on the initiative's potential to address long-standing funding gaps in women's health and improve healthcare for millions of women and adolescent girls.
As part of broader health-sector reforms, Bangladesh's government has committed to increasing public health expenditure from 1 percent to 5 percent of GDP and plans to recruit 100,000 community health workers, with 80 percent being women, and 25,000 professional midwives for government healthcare facilities. UNFPA is mobilizing at least £25 million in grant funding for technical assistance, with additional support from Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and private sector partners.
The initiative will be presented at a panel discussion at the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin. The European Investment Bank, owned by the 27 EU Member States, is one of the world's largest multilateral development banks, while UNFPA is the United Nations agency focused on sexual and reproductive health, partnering with Bangladesh since 1974.