Underperforming health sector

When healthcare systems are transparent and accountable, citizen advocacy can influence government policy and healthcare governance with positive results

We expect the healthcare systems serve the population with efficient and transparent mechanisms guaranteeing universal medical access. Rather unfortunately this mandate does not hold for this country’s health sector that is beset with challenges spanning decades of neglect. If the government at all wants to fix its dysfunctional public health services, it must first demonstrate political commitment. It is woeful that discussions around health policy receive little to no space in the agenda of political parties. And while the media tends to report heavily on specific heath-related crises, meaningful debate around the causes of abysmal health services is virtually absent.

We must admit that Bangladesh has made big strides in the health sector. Visibly there are various proliferations in health infrastructures such as medical colleges, medical university, private medical colleges, private clinics, private hospitals, district hospitals, rural health complexes (RHC) and community clinics. Much progress has been made in the pharmaceutical sector providing various kinds of medicines, I/V fluids, anticancer drugs, etc. at affordable price. However, a lot more needs to be done.

After the liberalisation of the economy, the citizens are being forced to rely heavily on private healthcare, which they avail primarily through out-of-pocket payments. This is in stark contrast not only to the developed West, but also to a number of developing countries where public expenditure accounts for most of health spending. The less-than-adequate quality of government provided health services in Bangladesh is the major reason behind the large role played by the private sector in healthcare. Behind the dismal numbers lie heartbreaking stories of lives ruined and cut short due to the unavailability of affordable and quality healthcare. An unhealthy population with severely diminished capabilities cannot substantially contribute to the economy. And although healthcare is certainly linked to problems of corruption and security, there is no reason why healthcare should not be made an immediate priority, rather than placed on the back burner of policy discourse.

An informed and active public can play a crucial role in mobilising public health systems to serve the needs of the population. When healthcare systems are transparent and accountable, citizen advocacy can influence government policy and healthcare governance with positive results.

What is lacking, but is certainly worth aspiring to, is a ‘culture of protest’ around access to government healthcare to ensure that medical staff is present for duty and medicines are available in public health facilities.       

Underperforming health sector

When healthcare systems are transparent and accountable, citizen advocacy can influence government policy and healthcare governance with positive results

We expect the healthcare systems serve the population with efficient and transparent mechanisms guaranteeing universal medical access. Rather unfortunately this mandate does not hold for this countrys health sector that is beset with challenges spanning decades of neglect. If the government at all wants to fix its dysfunctional public health services, it must first demonstrate political commitment. It is woeful that discussions around health policy receive little to no space in the agenda of political parties. And while the media tends to report heavily on specific heath-related crises, meaningful debate around the causes of abysmal health services is virtually absent. We must admit that Bangladesh has made big strides in the health sector. Visibly there are various proliferations in health infrastructures such as medical colleges, medical university, private medical colleges, private clinics, private hospitals, district hospitals, rural health complexes (RHC) and community clinics. Much progress has been made in the pharmaceutical sector providing various kinds of medicines, I/V fluids, anticancer drugs, etc. at affordable price. However, a lot more needs to be done. After the liberalisation of the economy, the citizens are being forced to rely heavily on private healthcare, which they avail primarily through out-of-pocket payments. This is in stark contrast not only to the developed West, but also to a number of developing countries where public expenditure accounts for most of health spending. The less-than-adequate quality of government provided health services in Bangladesh is the major reason behind the large role played by the private sector in healthcare. Behind the dismal numbers lie heartbreaking stories of lives ruined and cut short due to the unavailability of affordable and quality healthcare. An unhealthy population with severely diminished capabilities cannot substantially contribute to the economy. And although healthcare is certainly linked to problems of corruption and security, there is no reason why healthcare should not be made an immediate priority, rather than placed on the back burner of policy discourse. An informed and active public can play a crucial role in mobilising public health systems to serve the needs of the population. When healthcare systems are transparent and accountable, citizen advocacy can influence government policy and healthcare governance with positive results. What is lacking, but is certainly worth aspiring to, is a culture of protest around access to government healthcare to ensure that medical staff is present for duty and medicines are available in public health facilities.