Discussants at a meeting on Saturday highlighted their serious concerns over the growing prevalence of hypertension and related fatalities in Bangladesh, making urgent calls for sustainable funding to ensure uninterrupted access to anti-hypertensive medication nationwide.
They stressed the need for long-term budgetary planning to effectively address this public health crisis.
This information and recommendations were highlighted at a discussion meeting titled “Prioritizing Hypertension Control: Bangladesh Perspective” held at the capital’s BMA Bhaban on Saturday.
The discussion meeting was organized in observance of World Hypertension Day by research and advocacy organization PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) with support from Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).
This year, the day will be observed under the theme “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.”
It was informed at the discussion meeting that one in every four adults in Bangladesh is suffering from hypertension. Hypertension causes various non-communicable diseases, including heart diseases, stroke, cancer, kidney diseases, respiratory diseases and diabetes that account for a staggering 71% of all deaths in the country.
However, the budgetary allocation dedicated to combat NCDs is alarmingly low, comprising only 4.2% of the total health budget.
Attending the discussion meeting, Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, managing director (additional secretary), Community Clinic Health Support Trust (CCHST), said: “To reduce the prevalence of hypertension and various other non-communicable diseases, there is no alternative to healthcare programs that prioritize grassroots community.”
Dr Md Enamul Haque, director general (additional secretary), Health Economics Unit (HEU), said: “In addition to increasing budget for controlling hypertension, effective utilization of the allocated budget should be ensured. Simultaneously, preventive and awareness initiatives should be taken.”
Md Mamunur Rashid, joint secretary (WHO wing), Health Services Division (HSD), said: “The Ministry of Health is actively working to ensure the availability of essential medicines across all healthcare facilities.”
Professor Dr Liaquat Ali, member of the Health Sector Reform Commission, said: “The Health Sector Reform Commission has recommended making primary healthcare free through legislation along with ensuring the availability of medicines by increasing the capacity of the Essential Drugs Company Limited.”
Dr Geeta Rani Debi, program manager, Community Based Health Care (CBHC); Professor Dr Syed Abdul Hamid, Institute of Health Economics, Dhaka University; Dr Abu Jamil Faisel, president elect, Public Health Association of Bangladesh; Dr Md Atiqul Haque, dean of the Faculty of Preventive and Social Medicine and chairman at the Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangladesh Medical University (BMU); Professor Dr Malay Kanti Mridha, BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health of BRAC University; Zahirul Alam, head of news, NTV; and ABM Zubair, executive director of PROGGA also spoke at the event, moderated by Channel i’s Senior News Editor Mir Masrur Zaman. The keynote presentation was delivered by PROGGA’s coordinator Sadia Galiba Prova and the discussion meeting was chaired by Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh country lead of GHAI.
