BNP unveils health sector reform plan

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced a reform plan for the health sector, outlining a short-term strategy of one year and a long-term vision of ten years.

At a press conference held at the Chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Tuesday morning (February 4), BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain presented the party’s reform proposal.

He attributed the stagnation of the health sector to the previous government's irregularities and emphasized that while the current government's reform efforts are welcomed, meaningful change can only be achieved under an elected government.

Dr. Mosharraf urged the government to engage political parties in discussions on reform issues and adopt people-centered proposals. He assured that, should BNP come to power, the party would ensure free healthcare for all, drawing inspiration from the UK's healthcare system.

The BNP's proposal includes short, medium, and long-term reforms, such as appointing union-based rural health assistants, introducing health cards for marginalized communities, creating equality-based laws for patients and service providers, and upgrading all health complexes to 100-bed facilities.

The party also aims to achieve self-sufficiency in drug production within the next five years and boost drug exports to $5 billion.

Dr. Mosharraf further criticized the Awami League government for corruption and mismanagement, claiming it had led to increased foreign reliance among patients, which contributed to the collapse of the country's health sector.