Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary

As the country grapples with rising cases of coronavirus and mosquito-borne dengue, there has been a resurgence of another mosquito-borne disease, Chikungunya, in Dhaka.

With significant shifts in population distribution and demographics, Bangladesh’s health sector must realign its focus on medical care for the fast-growing urban and ageing population, says a report of the Health Sector Reform Commission.

More than 90 percent of all Covid-19 tests are now being conducted at private hospitals as many government hospitals remain unprepared to carry out the task amid a rising infection rate in Bangladesh and neighbouring nations.

Covid-19 testing will resume at four major hospitals in Dhaka and Chattogram from tomorrow, following a recent rise in infection rates in Bangladesh and neighbouring countries.

Thousands of patients have been deprived of treatment as most services at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital (NIOH) in Dhaka remained suspended for two weeks until yesterday.

Sufia Begum, a 55-year-old woman from Munshiganj’s Sreenagar, suffered severe injuries to her right hand when a motorcycle struck her on the day of Eid-ul-Azha (Saturday) when she was crossing a road near her home.

The new variants accounted for approximately 7 percent of the patients attending study hospitals

The hospital, formally known as NITOR, is a 1,000-bed tertiary medical facility that receives referral patients from all over the country

Tens of thousands of holidaymakers left Dhaka by road, rail, and river yesterday to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha at home, enjoying mostly hassle-free journeys ahead of the 10-day Eid vacation.

Despite pledging special attention to education and health, the government has proposed only slight increases in allocations for both sectors in the national budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025–26.

The move to strengthen the anti-tobacco law has stalled for the authorities’ greater emphasis on revenue generation from tobacco sales than on public health, according to anti-tobacco campaigners.

This marks yet another year of weak budget execution since the health ministry was split into two divisions in 2017.

The government has created 5,089 supernumerary posts to accommodate government doctors and medical college teachers awaiting promotion.

Aside from proposing a significant increase in the health budget, the Health Sector Reform Commission has suggested several innovative ways to mobilise funds to strengthen the country’s underfunded health services.

As the first-ever Civil Surgeon Conference begins today, the doctors are expected to seek limited powers of magistracy to take prompt action against illegal healthcare facilities.

The Health Sector Reform Commission has recommended building national networks for four vital healthcare support services to ensure the availability, quality, and coverage of health services.

Thousands of private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres continue to operate without renewing licences due to lax monitoring by the authorities, raising serious concerns over patient safety and quality of treatment.

The Health Sector Reform Commission has recommended creating a national “Essential Diagnostics List (EDL)” and setting fixed prices for diagnostic tests to improve quality and ensure cost-effectiveness in diagnostic services.

The Health Sector Reform Commission has recommended that the government make primary healthcare its constitutional obligation and provide it free of cost to ensure universal access.

The government is going to organise the first-ever civil surgeon conference next month, aiming to facilitate direct dialogue between central authorities and top district-level health officials, as well as to strengthen coordination among various government agencies.