The BNP has unveiled an outline for national health sector reforms, aiming to establish a universal health system based on UK’s National Health Service (NHS) model.
BNP Standing Committee member and former Health Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain presented the BNP’s various short, medium and long-term proposals on Tuesday, to address the challenges faced by the health sector and carry out necessary reforms for its development.
“Just as quality healthcare for the marginalised population has not been ensured, so too has medical education not been planned effectively in Bangladesh,” he said.
The BNP leader said the country’s healthcare system has failed to compete regionally or internationally, prompting many people to seek medical treatment abroad.
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He also said the private healthcare system in the country has not yet become universally accessible to all citizens.
Mosharraf said healthcare should be recognised as a fundamental right for all and the current systems have not achieved the expected level of social equity in healthcare access.
In light of universal health coverage, he said BNP has proposed health sector reform in section 26 of its 31-point outline for restructuring the state.
According to this section, Mosharraf said BNP, based on the policy of "health for all," will take steps to ensure the right to free healthcare for everyone in line with the existing system of a developed welfare state.
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“All necessary steps will be taken to ensure the highest level of healthcare for all, in line with the National Health Service of the United Kingdom or national Universal Health Coverage,” he said.
If their party returns to power, the BNP leader said, they will expand the social safety nets for disadvantaged populations until poverty is eradicated and the national budget allocation for health will be no less than 5% of GDP.
He also said their party plans to ensure the availability of a sufficient number of trained health workers—both men and women—to provide primary and preventive healthcare.
Mosharraf said their proposal includes ensuring treatment, education, and research for both infectious and non-communicable diseases.
Regarding Bangladesh's healthcare system, he said all plans, guidelines, and policies are often formulated with the consideration of registered medical doctors under the Medical and Dental Council.
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“As a result, the existence of traditional medicine systems in the country, such as Unani, Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, and Kabiraji treatments, is being neglected. So, it is equally important to provide necessary research and various support for the further development, modernisation and scientific advancement of these traditional medical systems," the BNP leader said.
He criticised the previous Awami League government for what he described as mismanagement, corruption, and political patronage in the health sector over the past 15 years, which has led to a deteriorating doctor-patient relationship and an increase in people seeking medical treatment abroad.
In BNP's proposal for the comprehensive development of the health sector, Mosharraf outlined a three-step approach for improvement.
“Our proposal includes short-term (one to three years) plans. In this, we have emphasised the recruitment of rural health assistants. We have mentioned the improvement of service quality at the upazila health complex, transforming it into an effective primary referral centre, ensuring necessary specialised services, and planned family planning and population management,” he said.
The BNP leader said they also proposed providing each citizen with the best healthcare under a government-registered general physician at the state's expense.
He said the existing district-level hospitals and specialised healthcare services will be strengthened, and an accurate reference system will be implemented.
Besides, Mosharraf said a 24-hour helpline, emergency medical services, post-accident care and quick transportation arrangements will be ensured.
“We will also focus on equitable access to healthcare, and formulate laws for patients and service providers to ensure fairness. A mechanism will be put in place to improve the doctor-patient relationship through the coordination of community representatives,” he said.
Besides, he said, they have outlined medium-term (one to five years) and long-term (up to ten years) plans aimed at bringing radical changes to the entire healthcare system.
The BNP leader said they welcome the interim government's initiative for health sector reforms. “We are presenting our proposals, but we do not expect them to have the capability to implement these proposals, nor do we expect they will be in power for that long.”
He said they are presenting their proposals to inform the public about it, with the intention of implementing them if they are voted into power.
Paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the student-led mass revolution, Mosharraf called upon the government to take immediate steps to ensure adequate medical care for those injured during the movement.