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Health rights activists, policy makers and experts at a discussion on Saturday said that the health sector reform should have a special focus on bringing universal primary healthcare coverage to people’s doorsteps. 

Universal Health Coverage Forum, a coalition of multi-skilled professionals, hosted the dialogue titled ‘Reform Pathways for Health Sector’ in partnership with BRAC at the BRAC Centre Auditorium in Dhaka.

They also called for a drastic reform of the health system in line with the declaration in the constitution for strengthening secondary and emergency healthcare.

They said that hospitals’ financial autonomy to manage resources, including manpower, salaries, and allowances might bring better services to people.

The dialogue convened policymakers, health professionals, civil society members, and development partners to assess the current state in Bangladesh’s health sector and identify actionable reform agendas.

UHC Forum convener Hossain Zillur Rahman, also the chairperson of BRAC, said, ‘We need to approach healthcare with a focus on multiple angles like access to care and service delivery, community engagement, and the promotion of preventive health.’

‘We must prioritise quality services that are patient-centred while also addressing health finance, human resources, and the overall capacity of the health sector,’ he said.

Dhaka University’s Institute of Health Economics professor Syed Abdul Hamid said, ‘There is no universal public health coverage, and to reduce out-of-pocket health expenditure we need social insurance for all.’

He also called on the government to reform public financial management rules.

Health Services Division secretary Md. Saidur Rahman said that physicians were deprived of promotion because of blocked positions.

‘We must reform the sector to inspire doctors to work dedicatedly,’ he said.

Medical Education and Family Welfare Division secretary Md Sarwar Bari said that health sector needed huge reform.

He said that we must give priority to medical research and hospital autonomy.

Former director general of the Directorate General of Health Services Abul Kalam Azad said that healthcare in Bangladesh suffered from inequitable access and inadequate service delivery, leaving providers and patients dissatisfied.

Health Reform Commission member Professor Liaquat Ali said that legislative reform of health sector was important while private sector monitoring was also crucial.

Speakers demanded constitutional reform of healthcare declaring health as right.

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh senior director Shams El Arifeen said that the DGHS was providing healthcare as well as doing monitoring, which is a clear conflict of interest.

‘Break the system. Same agency cannot provide services as well as monitor,’ he said.

Health Reform Commission member Naila Zaman Khan said that healthcare terminology should reflect a more humane and approachable outlook, considering both accessibility and mental health.

BRAC senior director Md Akramul Islam, among others, spoke at the event.