Government is reducing spending on the health sector

The government is reducing spending on the health sector in the upcoming budget. The amount is about 2.5 thousand crore taka. Doctors say that 10 percent of the national budget should be allocated to the health sector as needed. However, experts say that if there is no efficiency in spending, there is no benefit in increasing the allocation. They are emphasizing sustainable development and efficient management to improve the quality of services.

People of all classes are at risk of health. The number of patients is increasing. Pressure is increasing in hospitals. Data says that 71 percent of the country’s people are dying from non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

The World Health Organization has recommended spending at least 5 percent of the country’s GDP in the budget to ensure proper health care for the people. Doctors say that in the reality of Bangladesh, this allocation needs to be kept at 10 percent of the total budget. Emphasis should be placed on reducing patient costs.

Dr. Cheheli Nargis, director of the Azimpur Matrimony and Child Health Training Institute in Dhaka, said that now the number of patients suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure is increasing in every household. Attention should be paid to disease prevention and treatment. Due to these diseases, human expenses are increasing.

However, research says that even if the allocation is increased, the ministry cannot spend about a third of the money. Experts say that this situation is due to corruption, underutilization of capacity, shortage of manpower and medical equipment.

Professor Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid of the Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka said that a large part of the proposed budget is reduced during the revised budget. Even then, the Health Ministry is not able to spend the entire allocated money.

He also said that, however, it must first be ensured that the money being spent is spent appropriately. Then, efforts should be made to use the entire allocation. Then, the allocation should be increased. Not before that.

Due to the inability to spend money on health projects in the Annual Development Program (ADP) of the current fiscal year, the allocation is also decreasing for the next fiscal year. The allocation for project expenditure has been reduced by about 2.5 thousand crore taka to 18 thousand 148 crore taka.