March 28, 2024, 3:21 pm


Abu Taher Bappa

Published:
2020-08-11 05:50:50 BdST

Govt plans to spend billions on healthcare coverage


The government has planned to spend Tk 935.81 billion until 2022-23 fiscal year starting from the current one for the heath sector development as it is committed to taking healthcare facilities to the doorsteps of people.

The allocation for the current 2020-21 fiscal year is Tk 292.47 billion, while Tk 306.35 billion for 2021-22 fiscal and Tk 336.99 billion for 2022-23 fiscal, shows an official document.

It says the government is committed to providing health services at the doorsteps of people as the government has been working for building a healthy, enthusiastic and proactive population through ensuring quality health services, nutrition, affordable and standard family planning.

There is a plan to set up 250 new community clinics in the current fiscal year. Now, there are 13,812 community clinics across the country providing preliminary healthcare. Forty people, mostly women and children, are receiving medical services every day on average from each of these clinics.

In the mid-term, the document says, the government will give the highest priority to autistic and other people who need special attention.

It mentions that the government will take programmes for ensuring healthcare and other social facilities for them, too.

There will be 'autism and neurodevelopment cell' in all public medical colleges, 'child flourish centres' in all the 116 medical colleges and establishments of 'paediatric neuro-disorder institute' of the country.

Meanwhile, the government has taken initiatives to increase the number of medical universities, colleges and hospitals as part of its plan for the rapid expansion of medical education and development.

In the mid-term plan, the government has taken steps for establishing at least one medical university in each divisional headquarters.

The activities of medical universities in Chattogram, Sylhet and Rajshahi have already started while a process is underway to set up Sheikh Hasina Medical University in Khulna.

There will be new medical colleges in Kushtia, Sirajganj, Manikganj, Jamalpur, Patuakhali, Tangail and Sunamganj as well.

Currently, there are 36 public medical colleges and 70 private medical colleges in addition to six others being run under the Bangladesh Army.

In 2009, the number of public medical colleges was 17 while that private medical college 31. And the Bangladesh Army had one medical college in 2009.

The number of seats for MBBS course is now 10,234 -- 4068 in government medical colleges and 6166 in private ones.

The number of government Institute of Health Technologies in the country is now 13 against three in 2009.

The government has taken initiatives to establish three more nursing colleges for the development of nursing education in the country.

In the mid-term, the document shows, the government will give priority to innovation of technology-based medical education and its expansion.

To strengthen cardiovascular, cancer and kidney medicare facilities in the country, the government will set up 100-bed full-fledged cancer treatment units at divisional-level public medical colleges, a 150-bed cardiovascular unit at the National Heart Foundation, while nephrology and kidney dialysis units will be there in all public hospitals at the district level.

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