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Published : 05 May 2025, 05:25 PM
The Health Sector Reform Commission - one of the five commissions formed in the second phase to recommend state reforms - has recommended the declaration of declare primary healthcare a “basic right” in the Constitution and provide it for free to the poor.
The commission’s report also includes recommendations to launch a Bangladesh Health Service, form a medical police, and allot 15 percent of the national budget to the health sector.
The commission, headed by National Professor Dr AK Azad Khan, submitted its final report to chief advisor Muhammad Yunus on Monday at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka. Later, they shared the report at a press briefing at the Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy.
The commission’s report says, “The ultra-poor will get all health services free of cost. Ten percent of poor patients will receive free health services at private hospitals. Essential medicines should be provided free of cost at the primary stage and supplied at a subsidised cost at other stages. The list of medicines should be updated every two years.”
The commission recommended exemptions on VAT and tax for cancer and diabetes medicines. The number of essential medicines on this list should be increased and the list should be updated every two years.
Medical representatives from drug companies should be barred from meeting doctors in person and advertise for their medicines, the report said. They should only share information about their products via e-mail or post.
Commission member Prof Dr Syed Md Akram Hossain said, “Giving sample medicines or gifts with an intention to influence (the doctors) will be banned.”
Instead of the Bangladesh Civil Service health cadre, there should be an independent structure called the “Bangladesh Health Service,” the report said. The commission proposed formation of a separate Public Service Commission (Health) and redefine its structure and workforce.
A high-level search committee should be formed to recommend selection and recruitment while ensuring eligibility, transparency, and political neutrality, it said.
The National Parliament must be informed about the qualifications of the recruits in important posts like the chief and deputy chief of the Bangladesh Health Service, director general, vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and treasurer of the medical university, medical college principal, and chairmen of BMDC and BMRC, the report said.
At least 5 percent of the national earnings and 15 percent of the national budget should be allotted to the health sector, the reform commission said.
Separation of health education and health service departments, recruitment of workforce and ensuring their presence, recruiting necessary skilled workforce before launching a new medical organisation, ensuring budget and barring middlemen, drafting health security laws and forming a regulatory authority, the formation of a physiotherapy department and related posts, and privatisation of rural level community health centres for better management have been proposed in the report.
Also, some new laws were proposed in the commission’s report. They are the Health Service Provider and Patient Safety Act, the Hospital and Diagnostic Accreditation Act, the Bangladesh Safe Food, Drug, IVD and Medical Device Act.
In addition, the commission proposed to amend the following laws: Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act, Medical Education Accreditation Act, Nursing and Midwifery Council Act, Bangladesh Pharmacy Council Act, Tobacco Control Act, and Municipality and City Corporation Act.
The reform commission members had attended 51 meetings, they said at the press briefing. There were 32 suggestion meetings in Chattogram, Khulna, Rangamati, Sylhet, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barishal, and Dhaka. An additional 8,256 adult citizens provided their opinions through the Bangladesh Statistics Department.
