FE Today Logo

Affordable health care services

January 18, 2018 00:00:00


HEALTH CARE means maintenance or improvement of health through prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments. Healthcare is delivered by health professionals that include service providers or practitioners providing primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care, as well as in public health.

Health care is a fundamental right for every citizen of the country which necessitates that health care services should be affordable for all. In reality however, medical care in our country is becoming increasingly expensive for middle and low income people to afford.

Among other things, affordable health care services can contribute to poverty alleviation. One of the main reasons for high cost of medical care in the country has been dishonesty and unethical practices of a group of health care professionals including few doctors, surgeons and medical practitioners. The health sector should not be treated like any other businesses where profit reigns supreme.

We have been able to reduce maternity and post maternity mortality, prevent polio and malaria and make remarkable progress in few other sectors. But we still have a long way to go. The government must make sure that all citizens irrespective of their caste or creed and financial status get quality healthcare services at an affordable cost.

We need to make sufficient budgetary provision for health sector so that our future generation can be a healthy and strong one. The health ministry must take both short and long-term measures to bring positive changes in the health sector.

Tareq Hossain

Topkhana Road, Dhaka


Share if you like