Government Finalizing Design for Mega Project to Upgrade All Upazila Hospitals to 101 Beds

The government is finalizing the design and feasibility study for a mega project aimed at upgrading all Upazila Health Complexes across Bangladesh to 101-bed hospitals, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. M A Muhith has said.

He made the remarks on Saturday (August 1) while addressing an exchange-of-views meeting as the chief guest at the auditorium of Chattogram Medical College (CMCH). Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain also spoke at the event.

The state minister said that around 75 percent of the country's population lives in rural areas and primarily depends on Upazila Health Complexes for healthcare services. To improve access to quality treatment, the government plans to expand most of the services currently available at district-level hospitals to the upgraded 101-bed Upazila facilities.

Dr. Muhith also said the government has set a target to increase the health sector budget from 1 percent to 5 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) within the next five years.

He added that initiatives have been taken to establish five new children's hospitals in five cities across the country to strengthen specialized pediatric care. Separate institutes dedicated to women's health are also planned. In addition, the government is restructuring urban healthcare services by bringing them under the direct administration of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare instead of city corporations.

Highlighting past irregularities in the health sector, the state minister said expensive medical equipment worth hundreds of crores of taka had been purchased without proper planning, leaving many of them unused. He said the government would prevent such waste through coordinated planning and better resource management.

To enhance the safety of healthcare professionals, Dr. Muhith said 10 members of the Ansar force have been deployed at each Upazila Health Complex as an initial security measure.

Source: Office of the State Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare