Bangladesh’s planned €250 million investment in women’s health aimed to target approximately 47 million women and girls over five years, highlighted at the opening press conference of the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin on Sunday where global health leaders gathered to discuss ways to build more resilient and equitable healthcare systems.
The Government of Bangladesh and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have set out plans to redirect the financing under an existing EIB sovereign loan towards the Women’s Health Initiative, which is expected to run from 2027 to 2031.
The program aims to expand access to maternal and newborn healthcare, cervical and breast cancer services, and emergency obstetric and newborn care.
It will also support stronger primary healthcare, referral services, district hospitals and critical care facilities.
Sardar Md Sakhawat Hussain, Bangladesh’s health and family welfare minister, said the initiative reflected the government’s commitment to building a stronger and more equitable health system according to a latest release by UNFPA.
“The health and well-being of women and girls are fundamental to Bangladesh’s future,” he said.
“This initiative reflects our determination to build a stronger and more equitable health system, one that prioritizes prevention and protects women throughout their lives.”
He added that the partnership with the EIB and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) would help ensure quality healthcare services reached communities across the country.
Dr Ziauddin Hyder, special adviser to the prime minister on health, said the investment would support a broader shift in the country’s healthcare approach.
“Our vision is to shift health systems from treatment to prevention and health promotion, and this new investment will help drive that national vision forward,” he said.
The €250 million program is designed to address gaps in women’s healthcare while improving the capacity of the wider health system.
Its key priorities include expanding maternal and newborn care, strengthening cervical and breast cancer services, improving access to emergency obstetric and newborn care, and upgrading primary healthcare, referral services, district hospitals and critical care facilities.
The initiative is expected to benefit approximately 47 million women and girls between 2027 and 2031.
UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita said women’s health remained critically underfunded despite its importance to sustainable development.
“This landmark investment shows how national leadership and innovative development financing can combine proven strategies to accelerate progress at scale,” she said at the opening press conference of WHS 2026 on Sunday.
Keita added that UNFPA would contribute its expertise and longstanding presence in Bangladesh to help ensure the program delivered measurable and equitable improvements in the health of millions of women and girls.
“We need to shift the way we view women’s health: from cost to investment, from a niche sector to a national economic priority,” Keita said highlighting Bangladesh’s initiative.
She described investment in women’s health as an investment in a country’s people, productivity and future, adding that Bangladesh’s initiative could serve as an example for other countries.
The World Health Summit 2026, running from October 11 to 13 under the theme “From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health,” brings together more than 4,000 participants on-site and tens of thousands online, with over 400 speakers across more than 75 sessions.
