Speakers at a journalists’ workshop on Tuesday called for sustainable financing to ensure the regular supply of anti-hypertensive medicines at community clinics and upazila health complexes across Bangladesh, as hypertension-related deaths continue to rise.
According to the World Health Organization, 283,000 people died from cardiovascular diseases in Bangladesh in 2024, with hypertension accounting for 52% of those deaths.
The speakers said inadequate budget allocation has disrupted the supply of free anti-hypertensive medicines at NCD corners at the grassroots level, despite growing demand. World Bank data show that only 4.2 per cent of the country’s health budget is allocated to non-communicable disease control.
The remarks were made at a workshop titled “Hypertension Control: Progress, Barriers, and the Way Forward”, held at the BMA Bhaban in Dhaka. The workshop was organized by PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). A total of 26 journalists from print, television and online media participated.
Dr Geeta Rani Devi, medical officer at the Directorate General of Health Services, said the government was working to ensure an uninterrupted supply of anti-hypertensive medicines and expressed hope that all community clinics and upazila health complexes would soon be covered.
Reaz Ahmad, editor of Dhaka Tribune, said evidence-based and in-depth media reporting could play an important role in raising public awareness on hypertension prevention and control.
Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh country lead of GHAI, and ABM Zubair, executive director of PROGGA, attended the workshop as discussants. PROGGA program officer Samiha Bintay Kamal presented on hypertension control.