Primary healthcare coverage poor in Bangladesh

The essential health service coverage in Bangladesh remained poor as its performance index was worst in the South East Asia and below the global average rate of coverage of providing primary health services, health experts said Tuesday.
Speaking at a discussion on the attainment of universal health coverage and the role of community clinics in Bangladesh, they said different reports demonstrated the poor picture of the primary health care services in the country that requires more political commitment.
Community Clinic Trust organised the discussion at BMRC auditorium.
Speaking as chief guest, parliament member and chairman of Inter-parliamentary Advisory Group on Health, Habibe Millat, presented the essential health services coverage index report 2018 of World Health Organisation and said despite introducing community clinics in Bangladesh two decades ago, the coverage of essential health services was still poor.
According to the index of essential health coverage prepared on 11 South East Asian countries, Bangladesh placed 10th, earning 50 in the index of 100.
Bangladesh’s performance was below Thailand, Korea, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Indonesia, similar to Myanmar and only above of Timor-Leste, according to the index.
The out-of-pocket expenditure on health in Bangladesh was 67 per cent, which was also highest in the South East Asian nations.
‘About 5.5 million people are being pushed towards poverty for buying health services every year in Bangladesh,’ said Millat, adding, the government expenditure on health was too minimal.
Although WHO suggests 5 per cent of GDP expenditure on public health, Bangladesh government spend merely 0.69 per cent of GDP.
‘Universal health coverage, first and foremost, is a political choice that government has to make,’ said Millat, a physician by profession.
Community Clinic Trust chairman Syed Modasser Ali said there were 13,500 community clinics across the country’s rural areas and those were contributing to improve the primary healthcare status of Bangladesh.
He said the services were still inadequate and the government was planning to appoint 12,000 more community health service providers to ensure door step primary health services to all the people.
Community Clinic Trust managing director and health ministry additional secretary Yunus Ali Pramanik, among others, spoke.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net