Govt to recruit 100,000 health workers, 25,000 midwives in 3-4 years

Prime Minister's (PM) Special Assistant on Health Affairs S. M. Ziauddin Haider on Sunday said the government is planning to recruit 100,000 health workers and 25,000 midwives over the next three to four years to ensure primary healthcare services of the people, report agencies.
The government aims to transform the healthcare system from a treatment-centred model to a prevention-centred one by strengthening primary healthcare services. To achieve this goal, plans have been taken to recruit the additional health workers and midwives, he added.
He disclosed the information while briefing journalists on contemporary issues at the Secretariat in the capital after returning from an official visit to Lisbon in Portugal.
Mr. Haider also said initiatives are underway to establish primary healthcare units at union and ward levels, upgrade upazila health complexes to 100-bed facilities, and ensure integrated services for mothers and newborns.
The PM's special assistant noted that special focus would be on training - before the large-scale recruitment of midwives - in order to improve the service quality at the grassroots level. The government has already taken necessary steps to enhance the quality of training.
Highlighting the new plan for developing grassroots healthcare infrastructure, he said a strong nationwide primary healthcare network would be established at the union level. Under the new network, existing community clinics and its health workers would provide healthcare services directly to people in their homes.
"Community clinics will continue to operate. However, this new primary healthcare network will work to expand services further and bring healthcare closer to people's doorsteps."
He further stated that the government's healthcare plans were presented at the 34th International Congress of the International Confederation of Midwives in Lisbon, Portugal. He participated as a keynote speaker at the opening session of the conference, attended by representatives from 122 countries.
The PM’s special assistant noted that there is no need to form an investigation committee over the lapse in measles vaccination as the reasons behind the failure are already known.
"There was negligence here and we can say that without any doubt. Because of their negligence, the vaccine round scheduled for 2024-25 was completely missed. Yes, no vaccine procurement was carried out. Likewise, contraceptive products for family planning were not procured. There is no need for an investigation to establish this."
Mr. Hyder said the issue stemmed from shifting the programme from an operational plan (OP) to a Development Project Proposal (DPP).
"We know what happened. The programme was transferred from the operational plan to a DPP. At that time, it may have been assumed that the DPPs would be approved within one to one-and-a-half months and funds would become available. But in reality, many DPPs could not even be properly prepared within a year, let alone receive approval from ECNEC and establish project offices."
The regular flow of funds that had been available through the OP mechanism was halted before a new funding channel was put in place, creating a gap that the country is still dealing with, he added.
Hyder said the government is working intensively to address shortages of family planning products and other essential health supplies.
"Many family planning products are out of stock in different places. Our minister and all concerned are working to procure them as quickly as possible."
"We are working day and night to ensure that these gaps are filled as quickly as possible," he added.