We are encouraged by the words of WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, Saima Wazed who rightfully brought to attention the need for a substantial increase in overall health expenditure.
Indeed, as outlined by her, out-of-pocket expenditure, as a share of current health spending, is unacceptably high, and this is no surprise when over the current fiscal year and budget allocation, experts had opined that the overall budget was likely to elevate the healthcare cost burden for patients in Bangladesh.
Suffice to say, this needs to change immediately.
This lack of resources for our healthcare sector is a major contributor for our healthcare to be lagging, as a result of which, thousands of patients yearly seek treatment abroad - this is not only a missed opportunity for us, but paints us in an extremely poor light when Bangladeshis feel the need to leave their own nation to seek better healthcare elsewhere.
Of course, this lagging in healthcare disproportionately affects marginalized communities, those who are not fortunate enough to leave the nation to seek better treatment. Women and girl children make up the largest portion of these communities, and for a nation striving to not only become a prosperous nation but an equitable one, this is an avenue where we are failing.
As Bangladesh gets ready to achieve numerous milestones over the next two decades, beginning with graduation from an LDC to eventually becoming Smart Bangladesh by 2041, we hope that those shaping our future remember that there is no prosperity without health, not just for a select few, but for each and every Bangladeshi.
