Health sector reform commission recommends free primary healthcare, separate medical service cadre
Additional suggestions in the report include increasing recruitment of medical personnel in government hospitals, expanding the list of essential medicines, and constructing new hospitals to reduce the growing trend of patients seeking treatment abroad
The Health Sector Reform Commission has submitted its final set of recommendations to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, proposing major reforms, including the introduction of free primary healthcare and the establishment of an independent health cadre service.
Members of the commission presented the report at Professor Yunus's official residence, Jamuna, at 11am today (5 May).
Among the key proposals, the commission emphasised making primary healthcare services entirely free for the public. It also recommended forming a separate health cadre to improve service delivery and administrative efficiency in the sector.
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Additional suggestions in the report include increasing recruitment of medical personnel in government hospitals, expanding the list of essential medicines, and constructing new hospitals to reduce the growing trend of patients seeking treatment abroad.
In November 2024, the government formed a 12-member Health Sector Reform Commission.
The members of the commission are: Prof AK Azad Khan (chief), president of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh; Prof Md Muhammad Zakir Hossain of Public Health and Health Informatics Department at BSMMU; Prof Dr Liaquat Ali, chairman of Pothikrit Foundation; Prof Dr Sayera Akther, a gynecologist; Prof Dr Naila Zaman Khan, a neurologist, the Department of Pediatric Neuroscience; MM Reza, former secretary; Prof Dr Muzaherul Huq, former regional adviser (South-East Asia Region) at the WHO; Dr Azharul Islam, ICDDR,B; Prof Dr Syed Md Akram Hossain, Square Cancer Centre, Square Hospital; Prof Dr Syed Atiqul Haque, chief consultant of Green Life Centre for Rheumatic Care and Research; Dr Ahmed Ahsanur Rahman, scientist at ICDDR,B; and Omair Afif, a student of Dhaka Medical College.
