Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday said rebuilding public confidence in Bangladesh’s healthcare system depends not only on policy reforms but also on doctors providing compassionate, patient-centred care, as he unveiled a series of measures aimed at strengthening healthcare services nationwide.
Addressing a discussion marking the 80th founding anniversary of Dhaka Medical College (DMC), the Prime Minister said thousands of Bangladeshis continue to travel abroad for treatment every year, resulting in an estimated US$5 billion in foreign currency outflow.
“Why can’t we provide those treatments in our own country? Why can’t we earn the trust of our people?” he said.
“This cannot be achieved through laws alone. Only doctors, through compassionate care and proper treatment, can fully restore people’s confidence in our healthcare system.”
Calling doctors a patient’s greatest source of hope, Tarique Rahman said professional excellence must always be accompanied by humanity, arguing that reassuring behaviour can often be as important as medicine itself.
Alongside the appeal, the Prime Minister announced a broad package of healthcare reforms designed to strengthen primary care and reduce pressure on tertiary hospitals.
He said recruitment has begun for 100,000 community healthcare workers, 80% of whom will be women, to deliver maternal and child healthcare, vaccination, nutrition and preventive health services at the grassroots.
The government has also started recruiting 5,000 MBBS doctors and will fill vacant posts for nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists and midwives to address long-standing manpower shortages.
To improve access to healthcare outside major cities, all existing 31- to 50-bed Upazila Health Complexes will be upgraded to 101-bed facilities in phases. Solar power systems will also be installed to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply, while 10 Ansar members will be deployed at every Upazila Health Complex to improve security for healthcare workers.
The Prime Minister also announced plans to establish five specialised children’s hospitals, including newly built 200-bed facilities in Barisal and Rajshahi, as part of efforts to decentralise advanced paediatric care.
Highlighting the government’s broader commitment to the sector, he said Tk69,409 crore has been allocated for health in the current fiscal year -- equivalent to 1.02% of GDP -- with a target of raising health spending to 5% of GDP over the next five years.
Speaking as special guest, Dr Zubaida Rahman echoed the Prime Minister’s message, saying medicine is ultimately about people.
“The true foundation of the medical profession is humanity. Sometimes a doctor’s reassuring words can be as healing as medicine,” she said, calling for Dhaka Medical College Hospital to become a regional centre of excellence in patient care, medical education and research.
