Dhaka: Prime Minister's Adviser on the Ministries of Finance and Planning Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir emphasized the government's commitment to establishing a comprehensive national health system, addressing the significant deterioration of the country's existing healthcare structure. He made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a panel discussion titled 'Bangladesh Health Budget Dialogue: Priorities, Gaps and Way Forward,' held at the BoT Conference Room, University of Asia Pacific.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Department of Business Administration, University of Asia Pacific (UAP), organized the dialogue. Dr. Titumir stated that the government plans to increase the health sector allocation to 5 percent of GDP gradually. The upcoming budget will include proposals aimed at fundamentally transforming the healthcare system. He emphasized the necessity of ensuring the availability of doctors at the grassroots level and announced plans to strengthen healthcare services at the upazila level, including increased hospital capacity and improved service delivery for specialized care.
At the district level, Dr. Titumir discussed the restructuring of hospitals to address changing disease patterns, with a focus on lifestyle-related diseases. Facilities such as coronary care units and kidney dialysis units will be introduced in district hospitals. He also highlighted the government's aim under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to build a democratic and welfare-oriented state by transforming the healthcare system into a people-centered universal healthcare system.
Dr. Titumir noted that expanding the healthcare workforce, including the recruitment of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, will be prioritized to ensure services reach grassroots communities. He announced significant reforms to strengthen upazila health complexes and district-level healthcare services, ultimately leading to the establishment of a national health system.
He criticized past shortcomings in the health sector, pointing out issues such as rising out-of-pocket expenditures, insufficient hospital beds, inadequate treatment facilities, and medicine shortages, which have driven many patients to seek expensive treatment abroad.
The seminar was moderated by Professor Dr. Nazma Begum of the Business Administration Department, with Professor Dr. M. A. Baki Khalily, Dean of the School of Business, presiding. The keynote paper was presented by Dr. Rumana Haque, Professor of Economics at the University of Dhaka. Special guests included Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UAP K. M. Mujibul Haque and Professor Dr. Mahbub Uddin Ahmed Bhuiyan.