The government plans to introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-based screening and testing for breast and cervical cancer at the upazila level to improve access to early detection for women, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain has said.
He made the remarks while addressing a workshop titled “National Health Protection Authority in Bangladesh: Design and Structural Aspects” as the chief guest at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka on Thursday. The Health Economics Unit of the Health Services Division organized the workshop.
Speaking about women's healthcare, the minister said steps must be taken to ensure that mothers and women do not face embarrassing situations or harassment during pregnancy. To this end, plans are underway to transform health centers into one-stop service centers.
He said the centers would offer AI-based screening and testing for breast and cervical cancer. The government plans to introduce these services at the upazila level in phases and at a low cost.
The initiative is intended to make screening and testing more accessible to women at the upazila level, potentially reducing the need to travel to distant hospitals and making the services more affordable. However, the actual benefits will depend on implementation, service availability and costs.
The minister said primary healthcare was being given the highest priority to bring health services to people's doorsteps. The government has drawn up extensive plans to ensure healthcare for the population, but implementing all the plans at once would be difficult.
He said initiatives were being taken to prioritize activities and introduce them gradually through pilot programs.
The minister also stressed the need to expedite implementation of the Health Protection Act and related activities. Necessary steps were being taken by reviewing and coordinating laws from different countries, he said, adding that special emphasis was being placed on health insurance.
Noting that people have to pay substantial amounts out of their own pockets to cover medical expenses, the minister said this placed them under considerable financial strain.
Calling for coordinated efforts with honesty and dedication to address longstanding irregularities and challenges in the health sector, he said the government was committed to gradually delivering improved and quality healthcare at every level across the country.
Director General of the Health Economics Unit Dr Md Enamul Haque and officials from various divisions of the ministry were present at the workshop.