PM urges rich countries to ensure universal healthcare for all

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged the rich countries to support the efforts to ensure universal healthcare for the lagging behind countries of the world.

“Rich countries must step forward to ensure universal healthcare. In this connection, funds (finance) have to be disbursed,” she said.

The prime minister said this while addressing a high level programme titled ‘Accelerating Universal Health Coverage Towards Smart Bangladesh’ at Hotel InterContinental.

She said that many countries are still lagging behind. They need assistance.

Enough funds should be created to support health and nutrition in areas that are not yet developed or that have not made much progress towards health. Because health is the root of all happiness,” she said.

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and co-chair of the Chatham House Commission Helen Clark also spoke at the programme as the special guest.

The programme was divided in two parts - in the first part the chief guest, special guests and experts answered various questions.

This part of the programme was moderated by Saima Wazed Putul, Adviser on Mental Health and Autism to the Director-General of the WHO and Commissioner of the Chatham House Commission on Public Health.

Calling for an international plan for universal healthcare, Hasina said this is very important. “This issue needs to be given more importance and an international plan should be made,” she said.

She said this has to be done to figure out which country needs more.

“It can thus be specified and health services can be ensured for all. But I believe we all need to do it together,” she said.

The prime minister briefly described various steps of the government for providing free primary care and 30 types of medicines through community clinics, providing free insulin from community clinics, recruiting new nurses and doctors, training health care workers, providing maternity and post-natal services to mothers, maternity allowance and increasing the number of beds in various district and upazila hospitals.

She highlighted various initiatives of the government to bring medical services to people’s doorsteps by increasing the quality of medical services using advanced equipment, building specialised hospitals, establishing hospitals, medical colleges, and medical universities.