Aid for patients with 6 major diseases doubled

The government has proposed doubling financial assistance for poor patients suffering from six major diseases, raising the annual one-time grant from Tk 50,000 to Tk 1 lakh in the FY2026-27 budget.

The government has proposed increasing financial support for underprivileged patients suffering from cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, stroke-related paralysis, congenital heart disease and thalassaemia.

Presenting the FY2026-27 budget in Parliament on Thursday, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury announced that the annual one-time assistance for eligible patients would be increased from Tk 50,000 to Tk 1 lakh.

The support is provided through the Hospital Social Services Programme operated by the Department of Social Services under the Ministry of Social Welfare.

According to the budget proposal, many patients with serious illnesses are unable to access necessary treatment due to financial constraints, while medical expenses often push affected families into severe economic hardship.

The government said the enhanced assistance aims to ease the treatment burden on poor patients and strengthen social protection for vulnerable groups.

TZ