The government has announced a series of pledges for the health sector in the 2026–27 fiscal year, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said Thursday while placing the proposed budget in parliament.
The health policy’s main objective is to ensure universal and equitable healthcare, shift from a treatment-centered system to a prevention-focused model, expand services to rural and marginalized populations, strengthen maternal and child health, nutrition and immunization, and develop health technology and the medical industry, he said.
The government has set a target to gradually raise public investment in the health sector to 5% of GDP.
Under the election manifesto, the government plans to establish one modern primary healthcare unit in every union and one or more in every urban ward, with implementation already under way. An “e-health card” will be issued to every citizen under the national health system as part of universal health coverage.
District hospitals and upazila health complexes will be upgraded into integrated “secondary healthcare units” to improve access to specialized care, the minister said.
Upazila facilities will expand bed capacity and include maternal, newborn, child and reproductive health services, as well as physiotherapy. District hospitals will concentrate specialized and complex services, including surgery, coronary care and dialysis units.
A “National Ambulance Pool and Emergency Service Network” will be formed to improve patient transport.
The government is also preparing an integrated, science-based national nutrition program and will implement a multi-sector initiative to address stunting among children under five. Infrastructure, research, investment and policy support, including API industrial parks, will continue.
Following Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status, policy support and financial incentives will be provided to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector, enhance innovation and expand its global market position. A nationwide medicine and vaccine supply network will be developed to ensure timely delivery even in remote areas.
The minister said previous governments’ alleged negligence in vaccine procurement and immunization planning led to a measles outbreak and child deaths across the country.
He said the government has taken rapid action and is vaccinating nearly all children against measles and rubella within the first 100 days.
A new MBBS curriculum will be introduced, incorporating modular design, modern clinical education and AI-based medical training.
The government will immediately recruit 5,000 MBBS doctors to address long-standing vacancies, he said. Nursing and midwifery education will be expanded, including increased bachelor’s and master’s level opportunities.
A nationwide recruitment drive for 100,000 health workers has begun, with 80% of posts reserved for women.
A four-month “general caregiver” training program has been launched to create jobs for educated unemployed youth to meet domestic and overseas demand.
The medical equipment and device industry will be developed as a priority sector, he added.
Efforts will be made to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare spending, improve access to quality medicines and ensure universal health coverage.
The finance minister proposed Tk 69,409 crore for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in FY26–27, equal to 1.01% of GDP. In the revised FY25–26 budget, allocation stood at Tk 35,477 crore, or 0.58% of GDP.