Dhaka: State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr M A Muhit today called upon pharmaceutical company owners and relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainable development of the country’s drug industry while keeping prices within the purchasing capacity of ordinary people. “While protecting the interests of the industry is important, medicine prices cannot be increased at will, putting the people in trouble,” he told a stakeholder consultation meeting titled “Strengthening Health Sector Capacity through Private Sector Engagement” at a city hotel.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Health Services Division and the World Bank jointly organized the event. Emphasising a balanced policy on drug pricing, Muhit stated that it is not right to keep medicine prices frozen for years while other costs rise. He stressed the importance of a policy that avoids arbitrary price increases to maintain a balance that does not negatively impact people or the government.
Muhit added that the government is committed to ensuring proper healthcare services and life-saving medicines for citizens. Reflecting on the current state of the health sector, he noted that the government has been in office for only two and a half months following a long public movement and “mass uprising,” with high expectations from the populace.
However, he acknowledged that the health sector is currently in a fragile condition. “We have found that many areas of the health sector are in a broken state,” Muhit remarked. Highlighting the condition of hospitals, he pointed out that many facilities have not received basic maintenance for the past five to seven years.
Moreover, he mentioned that some hospitals have buildings but lack equipment, while others face shortages of medicines. Muhit emphasized that they are working under these significant challenges, compounded by global difficulties.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) director general Professor Dr. Pravath Chandra Biswas, senior officials of the ministry, representatives from the private health sector, and pharmaceutical industry leaders were present at the event.