Page 76 - IBT Sept 2021 (1)

Health Sector CHAMPIONING
CARE

country has received around 16 international country has progressed in leaps and bounds, even receiving a Bangladesh seems to be something of a “negative
awards and prizes, out of which, three were UN Award for the same, in 2010. As per data pertaining to outlier” among similar, low income (LIC) or low
United Nation awards for the incredible 2019, the under-5 mortality rate was 28 per 1000 live births. middle-income (MLIC) countries. Statistics report
development in the health sector. According to Infant and neonatal mortality rates stood at 21 and 15, that the percentage of out-of-pocket (OOP)
the foreign secretary of Bangladesh, Masud Bin respectively. Where global life expectancy was 72 years, spending on healthcare for this country stands at
Momen, a good way to describe the healthcare Bangladesh, thanks to the above mortality rate reductions a giant 72% compared to other LICs (39.6%) and
system of Bangladesh is “good health at low stood at 73, above all but one South Asian country- Sri Lanka other MLICs (39.4%). This spells bad news for the
cost”. which was topping the charts at 76 years. poor of the country as it implies that the country
Some particularly notable milestones in the Child nutrition is a problem that is being faced by most is not beside its disadvantaged population in
history of the health sector in Bangladesh are developing countries in the world, with successes and failures financially supporting their basic healthcare
its achievements in mass inoculation for constantly warring against each other, hindering progress. rights. Currently, OOP expenses make up roughly
different, preventable diseases, reducing mother, Bangladesh recognizes the dilemma, and it has taken steps to 67% of a household’s total expenses.
infant and below-5 mortality rates, family mitigate malnutrition, demonstrating a steady improvement in In its war against the mighty COVID-19,
planning, and, to some extent, child nutrition. the last decade. The stunting (impaired growth due to lack of Bangladesh has dedicated a number of beds and
In keeping with article 15 of the constitution of nutrition) rate among children under the age of five has ICU beds in all of its government run hospitals
the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, where it dropped down 10% from 41.3% in 2011 to 31%in 2018, and and quite a lot of private hospitals as well. In
states that "It shall be a fundamental wasting (low weight for height) has gone down from 15.6% to addition, when the cases peaked, the country country’s health sector. This backing from development
responsibility of the State to attain, through 8.4%. While the development has been consistent, it is still not built some isolation centres and hospitals fully partners like the UN, World Bank and Asian Development
planned economic growth, a constant increase enough and more needs to be done for these figures to fall dedicated to patients of Covid-19. Tackling an Bank have been a pivotal source of funds generation for the
of productive forces and a steady improvement lower. unprecedented crisis such as this is an arduous country’s health sector. For instance, WHO, as part of its
in the material and cultural standard of living of Bangladesh boasts one of the best health networks in the task for any government, and Bangladesh too, response efforts has helped to provide Bangladesh with 200
the people, with a view to securing to its public sector. As per recent data, there are 47,678 domiciliary faced its challenges with testing, contact tracing, oxygen concentrators, 400 pulse oximeters, 100 venturi
citizens the provision of the basic necessities of workers with 13,907 community clinics at ward level, 4,646 isolating people and the expected challenges with masks, and 100 nasal cannulas to 17 district hospitals, as
life, including food, clothing, shelter, education union level facilities, 424 upazila health complexes, 59 district doctor availability per patient. Inoculation well as 65 patient monitors to 10 Covid specialized health
and medical care.", the country undertook hospitals, 18 medical college campaigns are ongoing in Bangladesh and the facilities. Similarly, the World Bank and the ADB have agreed
family planning through fertility regulation hospitals and 12 specialized government is working to get its hands on the to aid the country with $100 million each for emergency Covid
right after gaining independence in 1971. institute hospitals, as well as vaccines through agreements with producing response.
According to the National Population Census of other facilities. Despite the nations fast in order to immunize as many of its While Bangladesh has seen incredible success in its health
1974, the total fertility rate (TFR) per female large set up, shortages of population as it can against the deadly sector in a very short time, the major challenge that remains
stood at 6.9. By 1989, it saw a decline and human resources, shortages pandemic. to be conquered is its overall spending in this area. While
stood at 5.1 while by 1996 it was down to 3.3 of the specific skill sets, and One of the few contingency measures that came optimists argue that Bangladesh’s outstanding achievements
births per female. After a 10-year hiatus in scarcity of equipment, out strongly from Bangladesh during the have come in spite of this low per capita GDP spending,
fertility during the 1990s, the TFR further medicines and other supplies pandemic era is telemedicine. Online activities as experts do recognize inequities and vulnerabilities within the
declined to 2.3 births in 2011. The most recent hinder stakeholders from a whole saw a rise in Bangladesh during the country, despite its progress. The government may argue that
data shows that in 2019 the TFR in Bangladesh maximizing the optimum months long lockdowns and in the interim, it has increased its healthcare spending in the face of the
was 2.0, at par with Sri Lanka and Nepal, level of output from this set mobile applications were launched, 29 solely for global pandemic, but in essence, the increase in the healthcare
whereas the TFR in India was at 2.3, and in up. telemedicine, two online helplines were dedicated sector has only increased from 257.3b to 292.5b, marking a
Pakistan at 3.3. A longstanding challenge only to foreign workers, 16 different portals and nominal increase of 13.7% increase. In fact, without the
The other success story associated with with the public health sector of Bangladesh has been the lack websites were created, 10 kinds of covid testing support of non-governmental bodies, the year’s health
Bangladesh’s health sector is the one on mass of public expenditure on this sector. This year, the country’s tools and seven chatbots were constructed for a allocation may have rested at 4.8% of the entire budget,
inoculation. In 1979, Bangladesh devised a allocation to the health sector is only 5.14% of the total budget variety of medical and other emergency purposes. instead of the 5.14% it now allotts.
supremely effective national immunization and less than 1% of GDP, despite Covid challenges. Public One of the more outstanding applications is the Covid-19 has come as a fresh perspective for Bangladesh and
campaign called the Expanded Programme on expenditure on health in Bangladesh is one of the lowest, not one called COVID-19 DSS (Digital Surveillance its leaders, shining light on the glaring cracks and issues
Immunisation (EPI). The program gathered only in the world, but also compared to other lower System), where a user provides their information within its systems such as shortages in the areas of trained
speed after 1985 when Bangladesh committed middle-income nations averaging 2.8% or even the South human resources, medical equipment, and supplies. Experts
made praiseworthy progress in the healthcare to immunize every child in the country by the Asian average of 2.1%. The country not only has a to an AI system. The system can then create feel that even outside the pandemic, increased funds are
sector, ever since the independence year, 1971. next 5 years, to the UN, thereby reaching concerningly low expenditure rate on the sector, the awareness, help with digital screening, patient required to mitigate these crucial shortcomings. As
Given that the country is only 50 years old and universal child immunization. According to expenditure is also not divided judiciously among all identification, identifying high risk COVID zones, Bangladesh strides towards attaining the Sustainable
was essentially a hard-hit nation when it gained research, by 2017, 89% of children between the geographical and residential divisions. and to integrate and analyze crucial data. The Development Goal (SDG 3) for Universal Health Coverage and
Economic strength and a wealth of health resources are its independence, Bangladesh has often been ages of 12–23 months were fully immunized Taking advantage of this disparity, is the private health sector COVID BD tracker application is another risk becoming a middle-income nation, it may see a decline in
assessment software that specializes in
known to be crucial drivers to the success of healthcare called a “positive deviant” for exceeding against major vaccine-preventable diseases such of Bangladesh with healthcare facilities under the Directorate financial support from its development partners which the
sectors worldwide. Most countries who boast of strong expectations despite widespread challenges. as tuberculosis, diphtheria, pneumonia, measles General of Health Services (DGHS) being 2,258 registered predicting probable rates of infection in a person. government would have to work to cover on its own. The
Bangladesh is said to have undertaken a
healthcare systems often have these two propellants According to “The Lancet”, one of the most and others. private hospitals and 5,321 clinics. Hospital beds amount to country, known for its determination to survive the worst, may
backing them up. However, one country that may have revered medical journals of England, One of the Millennium Development Goals that 54,660 under DGHS and 91,537 under private owned “pluralistic” health system where resources from well come out shining in the years ahead, once it addresses
public funds were passed on to
proved this theory wrong is Bangladesh. Outperforming Bangladesh’s admirable success in this sector is Bangladesh had committed to, was reducing hospitals. As privately owned medical establishments require these challenges.
many of its South Asian neighbours, Bangladesh has “one of the mysteries of global health.” The maternal and child mortality, and in it, the people to pay for their services out of their own pockets, non-governmental organizations to work in the

74