Allocation increased for healthcare

Speaking at a press briefing at Dhaka Reporters Unity Auditorium, he said the increased fund has been utilised to provide additional manpower, equipment and bed in all hospitals.

The minister said the government now spends $13 a person a year on health sector whereas it should be at least $34 to achieve the millenium development goals and health for all by 2015.

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"Realising the ever increasing demand for quality healthcare, we have proportionately increased annual medical and surgical requisite (MSR) allocation for all upazila health complexes (UHC), 63 district hospitals, 13 medical colleges and 10 specialised hospitals. In fact, we initiated MSR allocation for UHC from last fiscal and distributed 270 ambulances to facilitate improved referral system," he said.

"Although our priority is to ensure access to basic healthcare at the grassroots level through essential service package (ESP), but at the same time we are focusing tertiary healthcare constructing more specialised hospitals," said the minister.

He said a law is being enacted soon to systematically manage all hospital wastes generated at private and public level. Currently the bulk of the waste is thrown away in the municipal garbage without properly destroying or treating the toxic elements.

In reply to a question from The Daily Star, the minister said, "We are considering to put about 200 community clinics on trail basis under the management of NGOs for feasibility study. Since we do not have the required manpower, it is not possible to run the clinics which were designed without proper planning by the previous government."