PM Urges Humane Care to Restore Healthcare Trust

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman says doctors can win back public trust in the healthcare system. To achieve this, they must give good care and treat patients with kindness. He spoke today as the chief guest at Dhaka Medical College. Specifically, the event marked the college’s 81st anniversary. During the meeting, leaders focused on how to modernize health services in Bangladesh. In addition, his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, spoke as a special guest.

Earning Back Public Trust

The Prime Minister said doctors must be on time and act with care. Consequently, this will make the health sector much stronger. He noted that many people go abroad for medical help. As a result, the country loses five billion US dollars every year.

Therefore, Rahman asked doctors to treat these patients at home instead. He said laws cannot force people to trust the system. Instead, doctors must earn that trust through kindness and good treatment.

Bringing Healthcare to the Doorstep

Currently, the government is hiring 100,000 new health workers. Furthermore, eighty percent of these new hires will be women. They will visit homes to provide basic healthcare and advice.

The premier said hospitals alone cannot build a healthy nation. Moreover, people also need clean environments, safe food, and daily exercise. Above all, he reminded everyone that prevention is better than cure. Getting early health checks can find diseases like diabetes or cancer sooner. Because of this, treatment becomes much easier.

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Setting a Record Health Budget

Rahman announced a record health budget this year. Specifically, the government gave Taka 69,409 crore to the sector. This equals about 1.02 percent of the GDP. Looking ahead, the plan is to raise this to 5 percent within five years.

Meanwhile, the government also wants to lower costs for patients. For instance, it has cut or removed taxes on vital medical tools. These items include heart stents, pacemakers, and tools used for cancer care.

Upgrading Rural and Child Hospitals

Finally, the Prime Minister shared plans to improve rural hospitals. All local hospitals with 31 to 51 beds will slowly upgrade to 101 beds. After all, current spaces are too small for the growing rural population. Additionally, hospitals are getting solar panels on their roofs. This step will ensure they always have power.

Child health is a major focus as well. Therefore, the government is opening five children’s hospitals soon. Two of these are new 200-bed centers in Barishal and Rajshahi. Ultimately, this brings expert child care outside the capital city.

-BSS