Boost government allocation for healthcare services

Access to food, clothing, shelter, and education is considered fundamental human rights. However, in our country, just like in the case of other basic rights, people are also deprived in the field of healthcare. It is often said that people in our country suffer the most from lack of access to proper healthcare. Due to environmental changes, dietary habits, and irregular lifestyle, people in this country tend to be comparatively unhealthier. Secondly, due to various forms of corruption in the healthcare sector, they do not receive proper treatment. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the government also shows considerable negligence in this matter.

A research report published in newspapers on Monday (May 20) revealed that in the country, 20 percent of impoverished families cannot avail themselves even 20% of government healthcare facilities for maternal and child health services. Furthermore, 46 percent of people face some kind of difficulty in meeting medical expenses. The government's allocation is also inadequate to meet the demands of the impoverished population. On Sunday (May 19), in the Segunbagicha area of the capital, an event titled "Position Paper on the Establishment of the Right to Universal Healthcare in Civil Society" was organized, where such information was presented. The event was organized by the SDG Action Alliance Bangladesh, Global Call to Action Against Poverty, and Noakhali Rural Development Society (NRDS).

Abdul Awal, the coordinator of the SDG Action Alliance Bangladesh and the executive director of NRDS, stated that prior to COVID, there was a trend of neglecting the health sector in the budget. The healthcare system faced severe crises during the pandemic, but even after that, the health sector is not receiving the expected attention in the budget. Despite the increase in budgetary allocation in monetary terms, the allocation as a percentage of GDP for overall national production (GDP) has not increased significantly. Bangladesh spends only 1.5 percent of its GDP on the health sector, which is much lower than the global average of 9.5 percent.

Ensuring equitable healthcare for all remains a significant challenge for the government in creating capability. According to available data, an average Bangladeshi needs to spend $88 per year to access basic healthcare. However, in Bangladesh, healthcare costs are about $58 per person. A significant portion of this expense is borne by individuals themselves. About 70 percent of healthcare expenses in Bangladesh are covered by individuals.

According to the latest statistics from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the number of impoverished people in the country is 3 crore 17 lakh. Among them, 5 lakh people live in extreme poverty. These individuals suffer from malnutrition and have weakened immune systems. As a result, they are more susceptible to illness. They often cannot afford proper healthcare and are unable to receive treatment for complicated diseases. When seeking medical treatment, they have to spend their savings, take out loans, and sometimes even sell their land. As a result, they become even poorer due to medical expenses. If someone in the family falls ill with a serious disease, the education of the children may suffer significantly. In summary, medical expenses have a detrimental impact on their entire livelihoods.

So, like researchers, we also claim that strengthening the healthcare system and increasing government investment in healthcare for all citizens of Bangladesh is imperative. Expanding the scope of health insurance schemes and providing subsidies for healthcare expenses can reduce the financial burden on individuals for health expenditures. The government can strengthen primary healthcare by establishing more primary healthcare facilities, providing training to healthcare workers, and making necessary medicines and services more accessible and affordable.

The government can work with other sectors such as education, agriculture, water, and sanitation to address the social determinants of health for the improvement of everyone's livelihood.

When there's a significant impact on healthcare services, its effects will ripple across various aspects of society. Reduced productivity and declining workforce skills can result from this, alongside an increase in the number of impoverished individuals, leading to social and familial disruptions. So, the government needs to play a more vigilant role in ensuring healthcare for the people. Without increasing allocation for healthcare services in the budget, there is no way to improve the situation.