Govt working to ensure free primary healthcare for all

Women and Children Affairs and Social Welfare Minister Professor Dr. A Z M Zahid Hossain on Thursday said the government is actively working to ensure free primary healthcare for all citizens across the country.

Speaking as the chief guest at the '32nd National Conference and 2nd Outreach Program Bangladesh' organized by the Bangladesh Society of Radiology and Imaging at the Shahid Abu Sayed International Convention Center in the capital, the minister highlighted pragmatic steps taken by the government to decentralize quality healthcare.

"Pragmatic measures are being implemented so that ordinary patients can access modern, high-quality medical services at divisional and regional levels, eliminating the need to travel to the capital," Dr. Zahid said.

He said that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has allocated the highest budget in history for the health sector, emphasizing that proper utilization of these funds is essential for the overall development of the country's health system.

"Despite resource constraints, a revolutionary transformation in healthcare is possible if existing resources are utilized with sincerity and efficiency," he added.

Dr. Zahid assured that the government will provide necessary funding and policy guidelines to elevate healthcare quality, but stressed that the responsibility for ensuring quality patient care rests on all medical professionals. He urged collective efforts so citizens can receive full treatment for complex conditions domestically rather than seeking medical care abroad.

He also laid special emphasis on formulating specific career planning to groom young doctors as future healthcare leaders.

At the conference, expert speakers highlighted that liver cirrhosis ranks as the seventh leading cause of death in Bangladesh. They revealed that nearly 7 million people in the country are infected with Hepatitis B, while over 45 million adults suffer from fatty liver disease.    

Warning that 40 to 60 percent of patients die within a year if fatty liver disease turns severe, speakers underscored the urgency of early screening and public awareness. They also advocated for introducing a radiation risk allowance in Bangladesh and urged avoiding unnecessary CT scans and surgeries.

Chaired by Brig. Gen. Syed Awsaf Ali (Retd.), the event featured special guests including Bangladesh Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. F M Siddiqui, BNP Health Affairs Secretary Prof. Dr. Rafiqul Islam, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Prof. Dr. Prabhat Chandra Biswas, Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) President Prof. Dr. Harun Al Rashid, and DAB Secretary General Dr. Md. Zahirul Islam (Shakil).

Prof. Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Society of Radiology and Imaging, delivered the welcome address. Representatives and medical experts from India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the United States were also present. -UNB