Health sector sees slight increase

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali has proposed to increase the budgetary allocation for the health sector.

The proposed allocation is Tk 41,407 crore, which represents a 5.2 per cent share of the total budget, an increase from the Tk 38,051 crore allocated in the fiscal year 2023-24, which accounted for 5 per cent of the FY24 budget.

The rise in funding highlights the government's commitment to strengthening the country's healthcare system as it has taken various measures to prioritise the sector's development. These include reducing the import duty on dialysis filters and circuits from 10 per cent to 1 per cent, creating a specific H.S. Code for Spinal Needles, issuing a new notification for raw materials required in the production of cancer drugs, and providing concessional facilities for the import of dengue kits.

"We have been working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and the goals of the Perspective Plan 2041 and ensure smart health services," he said, while tabling the national budget for the fiscal year 2024-25.

In Thursday's budget speech, the minister also said, "Considering the poor people, health services are being ensured to the rural people from these community clinics, and 27 types of medicines are being provided free of cost."

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has consistently allocated special budgetary resources to address health risks. Building on this commitment, the minister proposed a special allocation of Tk 2,000 crore this year to tackle health risks.

"Ensuring universal health and nutrition is one of the basic principles of our government," the finance minister said, adding, "We are working to implement this principle. We are working diligently to build a healthy, strong, and lively population by providing affordable quality health, nutrition, and family welfare (HNP) services to the public."

"We have already achieved commendable progress in the development of health, nutrition and family welfare sectors," the finance minister said while adding, "Despite resource constraints, Bangladesh has demonstrated remarkable success in achieving health-related MDG targets."

Jashim/Avro