A Comprehensive Health Sector Needs Diverse Medical Systems

According to a report from the Ministry of Health, there is only one registered physician for every 2,894 people in the country and one hospital bed in public and private hospitals for every 1,698 people.
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Building a healthy nation is a prerequisite for sustainable development and the creation of a prosperous Bangladesh. At present, hospitals across the country are struggling under the pressure of excessive patient loads. Many people are deprived of quality healthcare. At the same time, the growing tendency to seek treatment abroad is causing valuable foreign currency to leave the country.

Among the government’s policy priorities in the health sector are ensuring universal and equitable healthcare, shifting from a treatment-centred system to a prevention-centred one, extending healthcare services to rural and marginalised populations, strengthening maternal and child health, nutrition and immunisation programmes, and promoting the development of health technology and the medical industry.

Currently, 71 per cent of all deaths in Bangladesh occur due to various non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Health and Morbidity Status Survey-2025, high blood pressure ranks first among the country’s top ten diseases. It is a leading risk factor for serious NCDs such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2025 report, 2,83,800 people died from heart diseases in Bangladesh in 2024. Of these deaths, 52 per cent were attributable to high blood pressure.

In particular, ensuring regular and free supplies of blood pressure medication at all grassroots healthcare facilities could significantly reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and premature deaths in the country.

The promotion of alternative medical systems is essential for addressing the challenges in our health sector. These methods are generally accessible and affordable and often involve comparatively fewer side effects. For many years, people from various social and professional backgrounds in Bangladesh have used Unani, Ayurvedic, and Homeopathic treatments. Our ancestors also received treatment through alternative medical systems. In addition to medicines, alternative medicine also includes practices such as cupping therapy, acupressure, acupuncture, leech therapy, yoga, meditation, regimental therapy, medicinal foods, and lifestyle modification, all of which are used locally in different countries.

These treatment methods have also been recognised by the WHO. According to the organisation, nearly 70 per cent of the world’s population receives healthcare through alternative medical systems.

Alternative healthcare systems are entirely scientific and diagnose diseases based on the fundamental components of the human body, which are compatible with modern science. In Bangladesh, due to a lack of research and promotion of alternative medical systems, public awareness and knowledge about them remain limited. A survey conducted under the Alternative Medical Care wing of the Directorate General of Health Services found that 26 per cent of patients receive treatment through these methods in various district and upazila hospitals across Bangladesh.

Countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Korea, China and Thailand have separate ministries, directorates, universities, research councils, and regulatory councils similar to the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) for alternative medicine. In those countries, alternative medical systems have gained widespread popularity due to opportunities for higher education, research, government employment, and career advancement for Alternative Medical care physicians.

However, there are considerable limitations in this field in our country. There are no opportunities for higher education in Alternative Medical Care. Research activities are also very limited. Furthermore, physicians graduating in this field have little access to government employment. For nearly 30 years, teachers and physicians employed in two government college hospitals and district hospitals have entered service as lecturers and medical officers. Due to the absence of promotion opportunities, they retire in the same positions.

According to a report from the Ministry of Health, there is only one registered physician for every 2,894 people in the country and one hospital bed in public and private hospitals for every 1,698 people. Bangladesh has more healthcare infrastructure in the private sector than in the public sector. Since private healthcare is expensive, it remains beyond the reach of ordinary people. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in healthcare, Bangladesh must place greater importance on alternative medical systems.

The government can play a significant role in the development of Ayurvedic and Unani medicine in Bangladesh through policy formulation, institutional education, quality control of medicines, and the introduction of alternative healthcare services in government hospitals.
The government’s key responsibilities include developing modern and relevant policies, expanding quality education, increasing research funding, and conserving medicinal plants. This traditional sector has immense potential to provide safe and affordable healthcare at the doorstep of ordinary people.

Traditional medicine based on natural ingredients is widely appreciated as a simple, affordable, and side-effect-free treatment system. Nearly every country in the world practices some form of healthcare based on natural ingredients to varying degrees.

It would not be wrong to consider the history of natural-ingredient-based or traditional medicine as parallel and contemporary to human history itself. Driven by the need to survive and remain healthy, people have used their judgment and utilised available resources in various ways. 

The government should take steps to improve the standards of Unani and Ayurvedic practitioners, establish research institutions in related fields, develop and expand Unani and Ayurvedic medical education, allocate the necessary budget, and ensure government employment opportunities for holders of Unani and Ayurvedic diploma degrees.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Unani and Ayurvedic medicines played a remarkable and widely appreciated role in helping people recover from illness and strengthen immunity alongside conventional treatments. In this context, the government should take initiatives to advance the Unani and Ayurvedic pharmaceutical industry. With appropriate government support, it is believed that the desired goals of serving the public through the Unani and Ayurvedic medicine industry can be achieved.

The government must ensure employment opportunities for Unani and Ayurvedic diploma-holding physicians dedicated to public welfare, improve the infrastructure of relevant educational institutions, and establish modern research institutions to enhance the academic standards of this field of medicine.

The writer is former Executive Director, Public Health Foundation, Bangladesh