Stronger efforts must for universal health coverage

Public health experts from home and abroad yesterday called for stronger efforts in achieving universal health coverage (UHC) in Bangladesh that ensures quality healthcare for all without financial hardships.

They said non-communicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases are emerging as major health threats that cause 60 percent of the total deaths in Bangladesh.

"Reality suggests that universal health coverage agenda needs to be scaled up," said economist Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC).

He said government contribution to health sector is only 25 percent in Bangladesh.

The observations came at a three-day international health conference on "Realizing Universal Health Goals" at a hotel in the capital that began yesterday.

PPRC organised the conference with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Bank. 

Dr Hossain Zillur said misgovernance in the health sector, quality of healthcare, counterfeit medicines and low health budget are some major issues in Bangladesh that need to be addressed. 

Dr AK Azad Khan, president of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, said Bangladesh has achieved well in millennium development goals, but now it is time that it focuses on improving health personnel and utilising its infrastructure already in place.

Thailand's Deputy Minister of Public Health Dr Somsak Chunaharas said Thailand began implementing UHC 30 years back, and health insurance was a big component.

Now over 99 percent of Thais have health protection coverage, he said.

"Throughout the last few decades, health system researchers and civil society played a crucial role advocating for UHC," said Dr Somsak, adding that their government health spending is 77.7 percent.

Dr Kamran ul Baset of the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh, presenting a research paper, said 83 percent of patients were happy with the overall services of the community clinics at the grassroots level.

In a video message, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim sought cooperation from stakeholders to achieve UHC.