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Govt plans public health-focused programmes: Minister

Published : Sunday, 15 November, 2026 at 8:40 AM

Observer Online Report

Commerce, Industries and Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has said healthcare should not be limited to treating diseases, but should place greater emphasis on prevention. Preventing diseases before they occur is far more effective than seeking treatment after falling ill.

He also said treating diseases often puts patients through financial, physical and mental hardships. Against this backdrop, the government is planning to introduce various public health-focused programmes to ensure people receive necessary preventive healthcare before they become ill.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a financial assistance distribution programme for patients suffering from cancer, kidney and heart diseases at Sylhet Sadar Upazila Auditorium today. The assistance was transferred directly to beneficiaries through the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) system.

Muktadir said the government had taken several initiatives to bring significant changes to healthcare services in the Sylhet region, including establishing specialised hospitals and strengthening the capacity of existing medical facilities.

The initiatives include modernising Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, establishing a new 1,200-bed hospital, constructing a 200-bed specialised children's hospital and expediting the launch of the cancer hospital. Once implemented, these projects are expected to reduce the need for patients from Sylhet to travel to other regions for advanced treatment.

He stressed the need to increase investment in the healthcare sector to improve people's quality of life. The government has set a target of investing 5 per cent of GDP in the health sector, he added.

The minister said steps had been taken to expedite the construction of the cancer hospital and complex within the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital premises. Once operational, the facility is expected to provide treatment to an additional 400 to 450 patients.

He also said approval had been given to establish a 250-bed hospital under Sylhet Medical University. Outpatient services are expected to begin there initially from January.

Highlighting existing problems at Osmani Medical College Hospital, the minister said building new infrastructure alone would not be enough; the quality of services at existing hospitals must also be ensured. Necessary steps would be taken to address irregularities and mismanagement in service delivery at the hospital, he added.

Regarding financial assistance for cancer, kidney and heart disease patients, Muktadir said treatment for these illnesses was often prolonged and expensive. Kidney patients, in particular, require regular dialysis, placing a significant financial burden on many families.

Although the government's one-time assistance of Tk 100,000 would not cover the entire cost of treatment, it would provide important financial support to patients, he said.

The minister said the money was being transferred directly to the bank accounts of 40 patients in Sylhet Sadar Upazila through EFT. Another 52 patients in Sylhet City Corporation area are expected to receive the assistance next Friday. The programme will be expanded gradually in the future, he added.

The programme was chaired by Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun. Chairman of Sylhet Development Authority Rezaul Hasan Koyes Lodi, Sylhet Metropolitan BNP General Secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury, Sylhet Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Khoshnur Rubaiyat, Deputy Director of the District Social Services Office Abdur Rafiq, Sadar Upazila BNP President Abul Kashem and General Secretary Azizur Rahman, among others, attended the event.

Source: BSS