Govt to set up health sector trust fund: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government would set up a trust fund like the education assistance trust fund so that none can shut down the community clinics with the change in government.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has established the Prime Minister's Education Assistance Trust Fund to support the education sector. Degree level students are now getting scholarship from that fund, she added.

"In the same way, we will set up a trust fund for the smooth running of community clinics to ensure health service for the people. These are basic rights of the people through which the country will be developed and freed from the curse of poverty," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating "e-learning programme" for the Community Healthcare Providers and addressing at the Community Clinic Awards-2014 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium, in Dhaka this morning. 

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, State Minister for Health Zahid Malek, PM's former advisor on health and social welfare Professor Dr Syed Modasser Ali were also present as the special guests, while Health Secretary Syed Manzurul Islam was in the chair.

Bangladesh Representative of the World Health Organization Dr N Paranitharan attended the function as the guest of honour and project director of Revitalisation of Community Healthcare Initiatives in Bangladesh Dr Makhduma Nargis gave the welcome address. 

Earlier, the Prime Minister distributed awards among the best community clinics selected from each division.

Outlining her plan for setting up the trust fund for the health sector, the Prime Minister said there would be an account for the community clinics run by the local people. "The donation from the well-off people, different organizations and the people who receive services from the clinics would also be accepted," she said.

In this connection, she cited her past bitter experience of shutting down the Awami League established community clinics by the BNP-Jamaat government and said local people from now on would run the community clinics. "This would make the community clinics permanent and economically self-reliant," she said. 

The Prime Minister said the people will have to build a mentality of reducing dependence on the government in every work. "They will have to come out of the habit of dependence on the government in every work, rather they will have to think that that we could do and we want to do," she said.