Primary healthcare gets priority; measles, dengue pose challenges

Highlights:

• Government prioritises disease prevention and primary healthcare over hospitals
• Upazila hospitals will expand to 151 beds with specialised services
• Thousands of doctors, nurses and technicians will be recruited
• Unused medical equipment will be restored and redistributed nationwide
• Measles deaths reached 925, while dengue killed 77 people
• Digital healthcare and door-to-door services aim to reduce hospital pressure

The BNP-led government has prioritised disease prevention and primary healthcare over a hospital-centred health system during its first six months in office.

The Ministry of Health has taken initiatives to expand upazila hospital capacity, recruit doctors and health workers, utilise unused medical equipment, and introduce technology-based healthcare services.

The health sector has received its highest-ever allocation of Tk69,409 crore in the current fiscal year.

Infograph: TBS

However, measles and dengue outbreaks have emerged as major challenges.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said the government has decided to upgrade upazila hospitals to 151 beds, instead of the previously planned 50 or 101 beds.

The upgraded hospitals will include 10-bed dialysis units, 25-bed child care centres and 15 additional beds for emergencies. Infrastructure will be expanded based on local needs, he said.

The finance ministry has approved the recruitment of 5,000 doctors to address manpower shortages. The government is also moving to recruit 2,500 technicians and 2,500 nurses, while approval has been secured for manpower to operate 930 dialysis machines.

The Health Services Division has also ordered authorities to identify unused medical equipment at government hospitals and allocate them to facilities where they are needed.

During hospital inspections, the minister said he found cardiac catheterisation laboratories, dialysis machines, ICU beds, MRI, X-ray and ultrasonography machines lying unused due to manpower shortages. The ministry is now working to recruit technicians and repair equipment where necessary.

The minister has also conducted surprise inspections across the country and taken action against irregularities and mismanagement.

However, measles has become a major challenge for the health sector.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, 925 children died from measles and measles-like symptoms between 15 March and 20 August, and there is no single day without a measles-related death during the period.

The government launched an emergency vaccination campaign, including door-to-door drives, but health authorities are still struggling to contain the outbreak.

The health minister said a large proportion of measles-affected children had not been vaccinated. More than 10 lakh additional vaccine doses have already been administered.

Despite efforts from stakeholders, deaths from measles and measles-like symptoms cannot be stopped.

Alongside measles, dengue is also spreading, with 77 deaths and 27,022 hospitalisations reported till 20 August. The nuisance and surge of dengue fever are seen more during the monsoon and post-monsoon months, typically from June through October.

Though city corporations have been spraying medicine to curb the spread of mosquito-borne disease along with making residents aware, the number of dengue-affected patients continues to spike.

When contacted, Health Secretary Quamruzzaman Chowdhury told TBS that the government expects to achieve its targets within its five-year term.

He said they are working to curb corruption and restore discipline in healthcare. Digital attendance and facial recognition systems are being introduced to ensure doctors' presence, while geofencing and digital dashboards are planned to monitor doctors' locations and duties in real time.

The government will soon begin recruiting nearly 100,000 health workers, he said, explaining that around 80% of them are expected to be women, who will provide maternal and child healthcare, counselling, and early disease detection through door-to-door services.

The government aims to reduce pressure on secondary and tertiary hospitals by around 40% through stronger preventive healthcare.

Responsibility for urban primary healthcare has also been transferred from the local government ministry to the health ministry.

Meanwhile, pilot projects for e-health cards are being prepared in Khulna, Noakhali, Bogura, Sirajganj and Narsingdi in line with the government's election pledge.

The government also plans to establish an integrated primary healthcare network linking union health and family welfare centres, union sub-centres and community clinics, while strengthening primary healthcare in both rural and urban areas.

On 17 February 2026, Tarique Rahman-led BNP formed the government after securing a landslide victory in the 12 February national election.