Bangladesh announces healthcare reforms and infrastructure expansion

Bangladesh's health sector is undergoing significant policy shifts and infrastructure expansions. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has announced strict measures against unauthorized clinics and diagnostic centers operating near hospitals. Authorities have been instructed to take action against facilities lacking sufficient medical staff, technicians, or valid licenses, and no new approvals will be granted for such institutions.

To bolster healthcare accessibility, the government has allocated 69 billion BDT to the health sector in the current budget. Plans include the recruitment of 100,000 health workers to serve approximately 180 million people and the distribution of 10 kidney dialysis machines to every upazila within the next two years.

Additionally, the government recently inaugurated a new Respiratory Critical Care and Interventional Pulmonology Center at the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital, which includes 40 new ICU beds. Officials emphasized that the government's overall success is closely tied to the development and efficiency of the healthcare system.