Nasim to fight for budgets

Health Minister Mohammed Nasim is determined to get more money for his sector in the upcoming budget, even if he has to fight for it.

The senior ruling party leader on Sunday said ‘if necessary’ he will fight with the Finance Minister for ‘adequate’ allocation.

He said he will also use his political clout and speak firmly in Parliament for more budgets.

Nasim in his just more than a month in office observed that his ministry lacked budgets that stand in the way of ensuring “good health services”.

The health allocation accounts for less than 5 percent of the total budget.

The minister was speaking at a meeting with the district and divisional health administrators in Dhaka.

However, the district civil surgeons and divisional administrators pointed to other problems as well, including shortage of manpower.

They also said that political transfers and postings posed a problem.

Rangpur Civil Surgeon Dr Birajul Islam said ambulance, X-ray machines had been idle for long because of faults that could not be repaired.

“We have to write to the authorities (DG Health) in Dhaka. It takes a long process to get repairs done. So people do not get services,” he said.

The civil surgeons also pointed out that the health administrators at district and Upazila level lacked enthusiasm, as they saw no avenues for promotion.

“We get promotions and become civil surgeons almost at the end of our service life. It is equivalent to an assistant director (deputy secretary),” said a civil surgeon.

The minister promised to address their problems but also urged them to work sincerely.

He instructed health secretary MN Neazuddin at the meeting to create a local-level maintenance fund for equipment at the Upazila and district levels.

He also warned against unnecessary transfers and postings. “There will be no transfer from today,” he told the Director General (DG) of health services.

“If you (DG) transfer anyone, you will be transferred,” he said.

But he firmly believed that inadequate budgets impede health services.

“If we have two less stadiums that would not be a problem, but we have to reach healthcare to all to lift people out of poverty,” he said.

According to the health ministry, the government spends just around one percent of the GDP on health services.

People have to spend 64 percent from their own pocket for health services forcing about four percent of the people, or 6 million, into poverty each year.

The government spends only 26 percent and the private sector eight percent of the total healthcare financing.

The ministry has adopted a strategy to achieve universal health coverage by 2032 to ensure that everyone gets health services without suffering financial hardship to pay for them.

Junior health minister Zahid Maleque was also present at the meeting.