Draft health policy to be placed in JS in 3 months, says minister
Thursday, 31 March 2011
FE Report
Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Huq Wednesday said the new health policy has adequate provisions to control health services being provided by private sector. "We're all informed about expensive health services provided by the private sector. We've tried our best to control many private health services in the draft policy," said the health minister. The health minister was exchanging views with the journalists on the draft national health policy-2011 which, the minister said, will be placed before parliament by next three months. State minister for health and family planning, senior ministry officials, representatives of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and journalists from both print and electronic media joined the programme. Mr Huq said the health policy has been designed mainly to ensure health related services for the country's ultra poor class. "We want to give health care services to the poor," the minister added. The minister said the policy has incorporated health insurances for the employees of the country's formal institutions. "The health insurance will be broadened gradually to incorporate other groups of the society," he added. The minister said the government wants to issue health cards to the poor and the deprived groups under the new health policy. "This card will ensure better health services for the poor as they (the poor) will then be able to purchase health services instead of free health services," he added. Mr Huq said curbing high cost of private diagnostic tests and unreasonable fees for treatment is very tough. The minister said per capita government expenditure for healthcare has been proposed to US$24 from the current level of $5.0. Bangladesh spends only 7.0 per cent of its national budget, but it should be much higher as other developing countries spend 2.0 -3.0 per cent of their gross domestic products (GDP). Ruhul Huq said health research has always been playing an important role in health sector development and the new policy has focused on it. The director general of health services said the government is planning to extend internship period and six months of it will be at upazila levels to acclimatise the new doctors with rural areas. The draft health policy has three specific targets including ensuring universal primary health and emergency medical services. The health policy has 19 main objectives and targets. Earlier, the health minister posted the draft health policy on the internet and it received nearly 3500 opinions from different strata of society.
Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Huq Wednesday said the new health policy has adequate provisions to control health services being provided by private sector. "We're all informed about expensive health services provided by the private sector. We've tried our best to control many private health services in the draft policy," said the health minister. The health minister was exchanging views with the journalists on the draft national health policy-2011 which, the minister said, will be placed before parliament by next three months. State minister for health and family planning, senior ministry officials, representatives of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and journalists from both print and electronic media joined the programme. Mr Huq said the health policy has been designed mainly to ensure health related services for the country's ultra poor class. "We want to give health care services to the poor," the minister added. The minister said the policy has incorporated health insurances for the employees of the country's formal institutions. "The health insurance will be broadened gradually to incorporate other groups of the society," he added. The minister said the government wants to issue health cards to the poor and the deprived groups under the new health policy. "This card will ensure better health services for the poor as they (the poor) will then be able to purchase health services instead of free health services," he added. Mr Huq said curbing high cost of private diagnostic tests and unreasonable fees for treatment is very tough. The minister said per capita government expenditure for healthcare has been proposed to US$24 from the current level of $5.0. Bangladesh spends only 7.0 per cent of its national budget, but it should be much higher as other developing countries spend 2.0 -3.0 per cent of their gross domestic products (GDP). Ruhul Huq said health research has always been playing an important role in health sector development and the new policy has focused on it. The director general of health services said the government is planning to extend internship period and six months of it will be at upazila levels to acclimatise the new doctors with rural areas. The draft health policy has three specific targets including ensuring universal primary health and emergency medical services. The health policy has 19 main objectives and targets. Earlier, the health minister posted the draft health policy on the internet and it received nearly 3500 opinions from different strata of society.