Zubaida urges stronger critical care nationwide push

Dr Zubaida Rahman has called for coordinated national efforts to expand critical care services across Bangladesh, stressing that no family should lose a loved one due to a lack of timely treatment.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Bangladesh Society of Critical Care Medicine (BSCCM) National Conference 2026 held at a hotel in Dhaka, she highlighted severe gaps in the country’s critical care capacity.

Dr Zubaida said Bangladesh currently has only 1.7 critical care beds and nine general hospital beds per 100,000 people. She also noted that 38 of the country’s 64 districts have no Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facilities.

She added that around 80 to 90 percent of ICU services are concentrated in Dhaka, while nearly 70 percent of the population lives in rural areas, leaving a major gap in access to emergency care.

“Newborns, pregnant women, elderly patients with pneumonia or stroke, and accident victims in remote areas are dying because they cannot reach timely treatment,” she said.

Dr Zubaida also pointed to a shortage of specialist doctors, including anaesthetists, cardiologists and neurologists, as well as trained nurses and essential medical equipment.

She called for stronger planning and commitment to improve critical care services, despite resource constraints.

Emphasising the importance of advanced ambulance services, she said distance and transport barriers remain a major challenge for critically ill patients.

While every village may not have ICU facilities, she suggested that well-equipped ambulances and functional district hospitals could significantly improve survival rates.

“Every district headquarters hospital should have a critical care unit,” she said.

Despite system limitations, she praised healthcare workers for their dedication and tireless efforts in saving lives.

“They are working day and night to keep hope alive for countless families,” she added.

The event was attended by health sector leaders, including government ministers, senior officials, and medical experts.