Bangladesh’s community clinics get UN recognition

Hiren Pandit: 

For the first time, a resolution on community-based health care was adopted unanimously at the United Nations. The historic resolution titled 'Community-Based Primary Health Care: A Participatory and Inclusive Approach to Achieving Universal Health Services' gave international recognition to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's outstanding innovative leadership in establishing a community clinic-based model of primary health care in Bangladesh in a public-private partnership.

The resolution was presented to the General Assembly by Ambassador Mohammad Abdul Muhit, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations. The resolution was co-sponsored by 70 UN member states in strong support of community clinic-based health systems. The positive impact of this resolution in achieving universal health services in Bangladesh is highlighted. The adoption of the resolution by UN member states was cited as an unforgettable milestone in the global effort to achieve universal health care by 2030. Successful implementation of the resolution will play an important role in improving the health care of billions of people around the world by introducing community clinic-based health systems.

It should be noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched this unique community clinic-based health system in Bangladesh in 1998 with the aim of bringing all the people of Bangladesh under primary health care, which has revolutionized the provision of primary health care benefits by the government at the doorsteps of people at the grassroots level across the country. This recognition will brighten the image of our country in the international arena in the indomitable development progress of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The government has established more than 18,000 community clinics across the country to ensure uninterrupted healthcare. This recognition will brighten our image in the international arena in the indomitable development progress of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The most important thing is that healthcare services have reached the doorsteps of everyone, and common people are coming there for treatment. As a result, many jobs have been created in the country, it has been reported by the government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also said to share the experience of delivering health care to the doorstep of people through community clinics in other countries. Many countries are yet to bring healthcare to people's doorsteps. In spite of various limitations, significant progress has been made in Bangladesh's health sector in the last 14 years. Healthcare is now much more accessible. It has reached the threshold of common people. We need to focus on preventive measures as well as the development of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke treatment services.

However, much more work needs to be done in healthcare. The number of doctors produced in the country is not large in proportion to the population. There is one registered doctor for 1,581 people. Rural, remote and inaccessible areas have high rates of doctor vacancies. Although the equipment is available in many government hospitals, technician or technician posts are vacant. Both recruitment and retention in these positions are important. In addition to this, training and skill development of health workers is required. There are also many cases where health equipment is available but no one is available with proper knowledge to operate it.

Besides doctors, there is a huge shortage of nurses, midwives and medical technologists. The demand to increase the budget in the healthcare sector in Bangladesh has been for a long time. A significant portion of the budget allocated is spent on physical infrastructure development, salaries and allowances. Hence the actual benefit to patients from the budget allocation is less. A common sector of the health budget is the procurement of equipment and the construction of infrastructure. The health ministry has been getting allocations close to 0.9% of GDP for the past year.

The health infrastructure of Bangladesh is very rich in Southeast Asia. Weaknesses in management should be overcome. The infant mortality rate has decreased, the maternal mortality rate has decreased, the immunization program has accelerated. Cancer, heart attack, and diabetes have increased at an abnormal rate. Corona has emerged as a new disease. These are the epidemics of the SDGs era. Like the overall economy of the country, healthcare services are expanding through the private sector.

But the government should effectively regulate and monitor this sector to ensure its quality. The quality and cost of health care vary greatly through these unregulated private healthcare sectors. There are systemic problems in the health sector. Those who will provide the service are not present in the hospital. Safe sanitation is in place but maintenance is weak. There is no good sewage system. The government is trying to eliminate these problems. The government is working through coordination. We also have more progress in the health system than before. More to come. There are infrastructural facilities of safe water and sanitation system in various healthcare institutions of the country including community clinics, and upazila health complex. Arrangements have been made for maintenance.

Many hospitals have been built at the union, upazila, and district levels and hundreds of government and private medical colleges and hospitals are operational. Many specialty hospitals offer free medicine, surgery, gynecology, obstetrics, orthopedics, eye, ear, nose and throat, cardiac, neonatal and malnutrition services. Apart from 14 specialized hospitals for infectious diseases, leprosy and other diseases, all medical colleges, National Heart Institute and many district hospitals have medical facilities in 'CCU'. Cancer treatment facilities are available in all medical college hospitals and National Cancer Institutes.

Many new institutes and hospitals have been built-- Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, National Institute of Neuroscience, State-of-the-art Cancer and National Kidney Hospital, National Institute of Mental Health, National Heart Disease and Asthma Centre, Extension of Paralympic Hospital, National Institute of Ophthalmology, Bangladesh -Conversion of Kuwait Maitri Hospital into a government hospital, 500-bed hospital in Mughda, Sheikh Russell Gastroliver Institute, National Institute of ENT Hospital, National Institute of Nursing Higher Education and Research, Chest Disease and Kurmitola with 500 bed and Government Employees Hospital in Fulbaria, Dhaka and Abu Nasser in Khulna Specialized. Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Eye Hospital in Gopalganj and 'Vision Center' has been set up to launch online eye care services at this hospital.

Writer: Columnist and a research fellow