Several countries, including Tunisia, have expressed interest in importing cancer drugs manufactured in Bangladesh, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain said on Tuesday.
He said representatives of the countries conveyed their interest during a recent World Health Organization (WHO) conference in Paris, where they sought meetings with the Bangladesh government and local pharmaceutical manufacturers to explore the import of Bangladesh-made cancer medicines and other pharmaceutical products.
The minister made the remarks while addressing a workshop titled Pathway to Becoming a Health Entrepreneur in Bangladesh at Hotel Amari in Gulshan.
Highlighting the rapid growth of Bangladesh's pharmaceutical industry, Sakhawat Hossain said the country's private drug manufacturers have earned a strong reputation in international markets.
Delegates from Tunisia and two or three other countries expressed interest in meeting government representatives and local pharmaceutical companies to discuss importing medicines from Bangladesh, particularly cancer drugs, he said.
The minister also said Bangladesh is preparing to enter vaccine manufacturing through a new production facility, marking another milestone for the country's pharmaceutical sector.
He said the healthcare budget has increased from Tk 23,000 crore to Tk 69,000 crore to strengthen the health sector and support the development of skilled healthcare entrepreneurs.
Noting that Bangladesh has a population of nearly 180-200 million, he said the country still faces a shortage of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. Despite these constraints, healthcare workers have continued to serve the nation with dedication and demonstrated outstanding leadership during national emergencies, he added.
The minister also highlighted several home-grown medical innovations.
He said the Pedograph, developed by Dr Zafar Siddiqui of the University of Dhaka, helps reduce the risk of diabetes-related foot amputations by enabling the production of specialised footwear. The footwear is now being exported to Pakistan.
He further said a physician at ICDDR,B developed a simple Tk 350 bubble-generating water container that played an important role in saving the lives of many children during the recent measles outbreak.
Such innovations, he said, reflect the ingenuity, technical expertise and entrepreneurial potential of Bangladesh's healthcare professionals.
Praising the role of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sakhawat Hossain said Bangladesh recorded a lower fatality rate than neighbouring India and several developed countries.
He added that physicians also played a key role in containing the recent measles outbreak. Preparations to tackle dengue began two months ago under the Prime Minister's directives, and the country's dengue management system is now better prepared than in previous years, he said.
