Government plans to provide better services through ‘health cards’

The government plans to ensure better healthcare for the poor with the help of health cards and by increasing allocation for the health ministry in the new budget.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith presented a Tk 3.41 trillion budget for the 2016-17 fiscal in Parliament on Thursday.

The budget proposes to allot 4.7 percent or Tk 175.16 billion for the health sector.
 
This is 18 percent more than the revised Tk 148.40 billion budget for the sector in the current FY 2015-16.
 
Muhith said a pilot social health security programme initially providing health services to the poor through health cards had already got underway.
 
“If this initiative proves successful, we will extend it countrywide. A maternal health voucher scheme for poor, distressed and pregnant mothers will continue to run alongside.”
 

He said the government had also prepared ‘a concept note and a strategic investment plan’ for the improvement of the health, population and nutrition sectors.
 
Muhith noted that there were allegations of pharmaceutical companies exploiting the benefits the government had provided to encourage local production of medicines.
 
“At the same time, people are demanding controls on medicine prices. We are aware of these issues and will take the necessary legal action,” the minister said.