Primary healthcare must get higher priority in budget, reform commission tells minister
Commission members also expressed their commitment to supporting reforms aimed at improving accountability, safety, and service quality in the country’s healthcare sector.
The Health Sector Reform Commission, formed during Professor Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, has urged Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain to raise budgetary allocation for the health sector, particularly to strengthen and effectively implement primary healthcare services nationwide.
Commission members, led by Professor Dr AK Azad Khan, urged the government to implement the recommendations placed by them without delay and said a stronger primary healthcare network could significantly reduce disease burden, treatment costs, and pressure on tertiary hospitals.
They made the calls during a meeting with Minister Sakhawat at the Secretariat today (21 May).
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The health reform commission was formed on November 18, 2024, while it submitted its report on 5 May, 2025.
Commission members also expressed their commitment to supporting reforms aimed at improving accountability, safety, and service quality in the country's healthcare sector.
According to them, the report reflects recommendations from BNP's election manifesto as well as opinions from physicians, public health experts, researchers, administrators, and healthcare workers.
The commission highlighted several priority areas, including the introduction of e-health cards, stronger tobacco control through sin taxes, decentralisation of financial and administrative powers, and tougher action against corruption in the health sector.
Other proposals include establishing a Bangladesh Health Commission, expanding treatment for complex diseases such as cancer through public-private partnerships, ensuring affordable medicine, and boosting local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients and vaccines.
The report also emphasised improving digital healthcare systems, enhancing medical education, launching health insurance, strengthening women's healthcare services, and building nationwide ambulance and emergency response networks.
Praising the commission's proposals, Minister Sakhawat expressed hope that the government would gradually implement the recommendations.
Among others present at the meeting were Prof Syed Akram Hossain, member of the reform commission and chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology at Bangladesh Medical University, Dr Mohammad Zakir Hossain, Prof Dr Liaquat Ali, MM Reza and Dr Azharul Islam.
