PM for renewed focus on traditional medicine
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for popularising traditional medicine through a renewed focus on the age-old indigenous healthcare system, alongside conventional drugs, as she inaugurated the National Health Service Week 2019.
“We can't neglect treatment using herbal, ayurvedic, unani, and homeopathy medicines and should give more importance to their development to facilitate people in receiving treatment,” she said at the event at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
The PM said Bangladesh has achieved huge success in producing standard conventional drugs and creating their demands abroad while “traditional medicine have a great value as well”.
There is growing demand for herbal treatment across the globe, she said and stressed the need for extensive research to develop traditional medicine.
She also handed ambulances and SUVs, purchased with public fund during 2017-2018 fiscal, to facilitate emergency healthcare services for people at grassroots level on the occasion.
She reiterated her government's commitment to take healthcare services to people's doorsteps, pointing out the initiatives taken so far for overall development in health sector.
Sheikh Hasina said setting up of community clinics across the country was a part of the commitment to bring all people under healthcare services.
The PM said around 14,000 such community clinics are currently rendering health care services to mothers and children and providing 30 different crucial medicines free of cost.
She regretted that such a basic health facility was closed down during the BNP-Jamaat government's tenure as it was initiated during Awami League's 1996-2001 term as government.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque presided over the function while State Minister Dr Md Murad Hasan spoke on the occasion as special guest.
Health Services Division secretary gave the welcome address while representatives from World Health Organization (WHO) also spoke at the function.
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