7 April World Health Day: The success and failure of the country's health care in the 54 years of independence
Dr. Mohammed Mahtab Hossain Mazed
April 7 is an important day to raise world health awareness worldwide. Since the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the 1948 th, this day has been celebrated to improve the quality of health care and increase awareness. The independence of Bangladesh has been completed in 2025. Although the country's health sector has made a lot of progress in this long time, some failures are still visible. In this article we will analyze the development, success, challenges and failures of post -independence health care.
> Start of the Health Sector: A History
After independence, Bangladesh was a war -torn, destroyed country in the 1971 th. At that time the health sector of the country was almost destroyed. Only 6000 doctors, inadequate hospitals, medicines and manpower were in crisis. The government then began to dream of an inclusive healthcare by forming a planned health policy.
Health sector
1. Primary health care
Since independence, the Government of Bangladesh started establishing community clinics in rural areas to ensure primary health care in the light of the 'health for all' policy. The then government established about 1998 community clinics in the 18000th, which made health care available for the marginalized people. At present, about 14000 clinics are actively operating.
2. Reduction of infant and maternal mortality rates
Bangladesh has achieved significant success in reducing infant mortality. The mortality rate of the newborn per thousand was 1990, which was reduced to about 97 in 2023. The maternal mortality rate has also dropped significantly. The immunization programs, family planning activities and awareness propaganda have played a role in the achievement.
3. Immunization program
The immunization program was started through the BCG and DPT vaccine in the 1979th. Later it expanded "Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI)". Currently more than 90%of children are under the national immunization program.
4. The contribution of NGOs and private sectors
Many non -governmental organizations, including BRAC, Public Health Center, have played an important role in the health sector of the country. BRAC's healthcare model is considered to be followed for developing countries.
5. Family plan
Bangladesh is one of the most successful countries in South Asia for family planning. Due to the reduction of birth rates, increasing awareness and long -term plans, progress in this sector is noticeable.
6. Digital healthcare
At present, the government is giving importance to digitalization in health sector. The introduction of e-health, telemedicine, health information system has made it easier to make information-based decisions.
7. Covid-19 epidemics
During the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020, Bangladesh's health sector reacted quickly to limited resources. Due to the vaccine collection, immunization activities, isolation and contact tracing system, the situation is possible.
> Challenge and Failure of the Health Sector
1. Health budget deficit
The allocation to the health sector in the national budget is still below only 1%of GDP, where WHO's recommendation is at least 5%. As a result, deficiency of infrastructure, manpower and drugs is a major problem.
2. Discrimination
There is a huge difference between the quality and availability of healthcare in cities and rural areas. Although modern services in the city's big hospital, there is still a doctor's crisis and infrastructure weakness in the village.
3. A lack of quality medical
The number of physicians in the country is relatively low and in many cases the quality of training is questionable. Besides, the sale of corruption and commission -based drugs in the medical system also affects the quality of healthcare.
4. Neglected mental health
After more than 54 years of independence, work on mental health has not started at adequate rate. The infrastructure and manpower of mental illness treatment are extremely limited.
5. Unrest
Many private clinics and hospitals provide fraud, unnecessary tests, expensive services with patients. The sector is almost uncontrollable as the effectiveness of the controlling agency is weak.
6. Doctors and nurses
According to the WHO, 1000 health workers are needed every 09,11, but in Bangladesh there are only 9-11. Especially the number of skilled nurses and paramedics is extremely low.
7. The weakness of the referral system
The referral system in Bangladesh's healthcare is weak. Primary and secondary service centers fail to send the patient to the third phase hospital at the right time, thus increasing the risk of patient life.
> The future to do
1. Increasing Health Budget: The allocation of national budget in the health sector needs to be gradually increased to 5%.
2. Strengthening Rural Healthcare: Infrastructure and manpower of community clinics and upazila hospitals should be increased.
3. Promoting Public Health Education: Health education programs need to be launched to raise awareness about health.
4. Mental Health Inclusion: Mental health should be given priority in national health and appropriate manpower should be developed.
5. Anti-corruption in the health sector: Transparency in the purchase of pharmaceutical industry, physician-patient relationships and health equipment must be ensured.
> Domestic Suggestions to Stay healthy for a lifetime:-
People have to follow some rules. Some habits have to be exported and some habits should be abandoned.
* Wake up in the morning and drink 4 glasses of water. Then go to the bathroom and come and drink a glass of water again. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of excess water a day. It is hydrotherapy or water treatment. This treatment can be relieved of about 36 types of diseases. The body will be healthy.
* Wake up in the morning and drink a very light cup of tea without milk. Tea never eat excessively. If you are overweight, do not eat sugar. It is a Chinese herbal medicine two and a half thousand years ago. Tea contains antioxidants, which work to prevent cancer. However, drinking tea that is not processed is relatively good.
* Vitamin C is a revolutionary life of food. Its qualities are many. People are forever young to play a thousand milligrams of vitamins daily. Fresh fruits containing vitamin C should be eaten daily. It also prevents cancer. Vitamin C contains tamarind, lemon, tomato, orange, guava and any type of talk.
* All kinds of intoxicating habits, including smoking.
* Redmit should quit eating. Cows, buffaloes, khasi, lamb should be eaten as little as possible. Not eating at all if needed is good for health.
* It is better not to eat the farm chicken. Fatty baby should eat chicken.
* Half-boiled vegetables and vegetables should be eaten in large quantities. The amount of rice or bread should be reduced.
* Do not eat fried food at all. Excess oil, fat, ghee, butter foods cannot be eaten.
* Do not use too much spices in cooking. You can drink the water by boiling the spice to get herbal quality.
* Make lettuce leaves, mint leaves, tomato salads every day.
* You can eat one teaspoon of honey on an empty stomach in the morning.
* Marine fish. Put more marine fish on the list of foods.
* Do not chew the fish or chew the bone of the meat. It is likely to be stones in the stomach.
* Sunflower flower seeds are herbal herbal medicines. Use sunflower oil in cooking. It is good for health.
* Make it a small amount of eating every day.
Finally, in the 54 years of independence, Bangladesh has come a long way in health sector, especially in children and maternal health. But there is still a challenge - such as manpower crisis, budget deficit and discriminatory services. Now is the time to identify these challenges in the context of World Health Day. In order to implement this goal of 'healthcare for all', the government should take effective role in the government as well as civil society, private sector and international partners.The writer is a organizer, columnist founder and chairman, Jatiya Rogi Kalyan Society .He can be reached at drmazed96@gmail.com
