PM stresses humane approach, equal access to quality healthcare

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today (15 August) stressed the importance of a humane approach in healthcare alongside modern technology, saying doctors' empathy and respectful behaviour toward patients are essential for improving the quality of treatment.

"Technology can identify diseases, but there is no substitute for doctors' humane behaviour in reassuring patients and understanding their fear, anxiety and mental distress," he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking after inaugurating the new 500-bed building of the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Agargaon.

He also called for combining modern medical technology with skilled manpower, good governance and, importantly, empathy to build a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable and quality-driven for all.

The prime minister said doctors and healthcare workers should listen attentively to patients, understand their mental condition and treat them with respect and compassion.

Tarique Rahman also emphasised the importance of mutual trust, respect and empathy among doctors, patients and patients' anxious family members.

"We must remember that ensuring quality healthcare and a proper treatment environment is not the sole responsibility of doctors. If doctors feel insecure, or patients and their relatives do not have trust and respect for doctors, no matter how much we improve hospital infrastructure, we will not be able to stop people from seeking treatment abroad," he said.

The prime minister said the government considers the right to healthcare not only a fundamental right but also a key to a country's economic and social development.

He said quality healthcare must be equally available to people irrespective of their location or economic status. If advanced treatment remains limited to affluent people in cities, it cannot be called a complete modern healthcare system."

Tarique Rahman said his government has taken various initiatives to bring affordable and quality healthcare to people in remote areas, poor communities and marginalised groups.

The prime minister said the government is working to establish a modern and effective referral system through the e-Health Card so that patients from remote areas would not have to spend large amounts of money travelling to Dhaka for treatment.

The government has also started work to establish fully functional primary healthcare units in every union, while every upazila hospital would gradually be upgraded to 151 beds during the government's tenure, he said.

On child healthcare, Tarique Rahman said the government has started work to establish 200-bed specialised children's hospitals in Khulna, Barishal, Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions and Cumilla district. "We will be able to open these five specialised children's hospitals simultaneously next October."

Tarique Rahman said the government has allocated the highest-ever amount to the health sector in the national budget, demonstrating its commitment to building a "healthy Bangladesh".

"This is not merely a slogan. The government wants to build an effective healthcare system so that people can receive all kinds of healthcare services within the country," he said.

However, the prime minister said government initiatives alone would not be enough to improve healthcare services, as the success of the sector would ultimately depend on doctors, health experts, researchers and everyone involved in healthcare.

Tarique Rahman said his government is committed to building a welfare-oriented state where no citizen would have to go abroad for treatment, and no one would be deprived of healthcare because of financial hardship.

"I believe that ensuring quality healthcare for ordinary people is possible through you," he told healthcare professionals.

Earlier, Tarique Rahman inaugurated the new 500-bed building by unveiling a plaque on the hospital premises. His wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, was present during the inauguration.

The new building brings the hospital's total bed capacity to 1,000 and is expected to significantly expand specialised treatment for neurological diseases.

After the inauguration, the Prime Minister visited different departments of the hospital, including the operation theatres and Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and inquired about the treatment facilities and services available to patients.

The new 500-bed facility will further expand the hospital's capacity to provide treatment, particularly for patients suffering from complex neurological conditions.

The Prime Minister later addressed doctors, nurses and other staff of the hospital.