38 of country's 64 districts have no ICU facilities: Zubaida Rahman

The country is facing a critical shortage of intensive care services, with 38 of the country's 64 districts lacking a single Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Zubaida Rahman, vice-chairperson of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation, said on Wednesday (July 1).

Speaking at the inauguration of the Bangladesh Society of Critical Care Medicine (BSCCM) National Conference 2026 at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, she warned that the country's critical care infrastructure remains severely inadequate despite growing healthcare demands.

Rahman said Bangladesh has only 1.7 critical care beds and nine general hospital beds per 1,00,000 people, while 80 to 90 percent of the country's critical care units are concentrated in Dhaka, leaving much of the population without timely access to life-saving treatment.

She noted that although 68 to 70 percent of Bangladesh's population lives in rural areas, most ICU facilities are located in major cities. As a result, critically ill patients—including newborns, pregnant women, pneumonia and stroke patients, and victims of road accidents—often fail to receive emergency care in time, leading to preventable deaths.

Rahman said the crisis extends beyond ICU bed shortages, highlighting a lack of specialist physicians, including anaesthesiologists, cardiologists and neurologists, as well as trained nurses and essential medical equipment.

She stressed that long-term planning and sustained investment are needed to strengthen the country's critical care system.

While acknowledging that establishing ICUs in every remote area may not be immediately feasible, she urged authorities to deploy advanced life-support ambulances capable of rapidly transporting critically ill patients to district hospitals.

She also called for fully equipped critical care units to be established in every district headquarters.

Praising the dedication of healthcare professionals, Rahman said doctors and frontline health workers continue to provide vital services despite limited infrastructure and resources.

She emphasised that expanding access to critical care nationwide is essential to prevent avoidable loss of life and reduce the financial burden on affected families.

Speaking as a special guest, Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain called for the immediate introduction of critical care training and academic programmes at all older medical colleges across the country.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain said the government recognises the urgent need to expand ICU services, adding that 10 new ICUs have already been established in different districts, with additional units to be introduced in phases.