Sustained funding essential to tackle hypertension in Bangladesh: Experts
NCDs, including hypertension, are responsible for 71% of all deaths in Bangladesh. Despite this alarming figure, only 4.2% of the total health budget is currently allocated to combat NCDs, raising serious concerns about the country’s preparedness to address the crisis
Uninterrupted and increased funding is needed to effectively tackle hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Bangladesh, health experts and senior journalists have said.
Speaking at a workshop titled "Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress and Way Forward" held at FARS Hotel and Resorts in the capital today (9 July), they warned that without sustainable financial commitment, the country's healthcare system will struggle to curb the rising burden of NCDs, reads a press release.
NCDs, including hypertension, are responsible for 71% of all deaths in Bangladesh. Despite this alarming figure, only 4.2% of the total health budget is currently allocated to combat NCDs, raising serious concerns about the country's preparedness to address the crisis, the experts told the participants.
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Although the government has initiated the provision of free medicines to treat hypertension, experts stressed that availability remains limited, calling for ensuring the supply of these medicines in all community clinics and upazila health complexes across the country.
Speakers also said that the health budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 has seen a marginal increase, with 5.3% of the national budget allocated to the health sector — a slight rise from the previous year.
However, this figure still falls significantly short of the 15% benchmark recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and recently endorsed by Bangladesh's Health Sector Reform Commission, experts added.
"Without adequate and uninterrupted funding, the country's efforts to control hypertension and other life-threatening NCDs will remain severely constrained," said one of the speakers.
The workshop ended with a call for stronger policy commitment and greater investment in preventive care and treatment infrastructure, particularly for non-communicable diseases, which continue to pose the most serious health challenges for Bangladesh.
The event was organised by the research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) in collaboration with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), where a total of 22 senior journalists from print, electronic, and online media took part.
