PM vows to bring healthcare to every doorstep, end reliance on foreign treatment

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed hope that the current generation of interns will play a key role in ending the trend of seeking medical treatment abroad. He said the government is prioritising the health sector, working to ensure a modern healthcare system through quality improvement, manpower expansion and infrastructure development.

The Prime Minister made these remarks at the 81st anniversary celebration of Dhaka Medical College on Saturday, July 11.

He said security measures are being strengthened at every upazila health complex to ensure the safety of doctors, nurses and health workers, including deploying 10 Ansar members at hospitals. Recruitment of 5,000 more MBBS doctors has begun, along with initiatives to fill vacant posts of nurses, medical technologists, pharmacists and midwives.

The Prime Minister said the government has allocated the highest-ever budget for the health sector, with Tk 69,409 crore allocated this year (1.02 per cent of GDP), with plans to increase it to 5 per cent of GDP in the next five years.

He also said taxes and duties on dialysis filters, heart stents and other critical medical equipment have been reduced or removed. All upazila hospitals will be upgraded to 101 beds, and five children's hospitals are being set up across the country.