Dhaka: Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed today proposed to allocate Taka 41,908 crore for the health and family welfare sector in the financial year 2025-2026 (FY26), which is over Taka 501 crore more from the actual allocation of FY25. The finance adviser said this while presenting the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 in a pre-recorded broadcast on Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the allocation in the budget of FY2024-25 was Tk 41,407 crore. To bring all citizens under universal health coverage by 2030, special emphasis has been given on expanding the scope of services, infrastructure development, and recruitment of skilled human resources. An additional Tk 4,166 crore has been proposed for providing free medical services to the poor, and Tk 1,000 crore for the Expanded Program on Immunization in the next fiscal year to ensure healthcare services for the underprivileged.
To address staffing shortages in the health sector, the recruitment of doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, and health assistants has been accelerated, with an integrated plan to create necessary posts. Initiatives have been taken to recruit doctors on an emergency basis through special BCS.
Efforts to simplify health services include the introduction of telemedicine services in 232 hospitals, and expert consultation services are now available through health call centers named ‘Health Window’, said Dr Salehuddin. Additionally, the monthly remuneration for private students of Masters and FCPS has been increased to Tk 35,000 from Tk 25,000. Community education allowance for medical students and allowance for nursing students have also seen an increase.
The monthly allowance for basic subject teachers in medical education will be increased to 50 percent from 20 percent of the basic salary, effective from the next fiscal year, he added.