Free treatment for 20 percent of poor patients recommended 

The Health Sector Reform Commission has recommended providing free full medical services to 20 percent of the patients who live under poverty line.

The service will be given at the government and private hospitals in the country. 

The members of the commission gave this information at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in the capital on Monday (May 5). 

Out of the total 20 percent of the patients, 10 percent will be provided with medical services in government hospitals and the remaining 10 percent in private hospitals.

Commission member Dr Syed Md Akram Hossain presented the recommendations to bring reform in the country's health sector at the briefing.

Hossain said the reform commission proposed recognising primary healthcares as the fundamental rights through amendment to the Constitution and providing the primary healthcares for the people free of cost.  

The commission suggested amending all health-related laws to make those time-befitting and enacting new laws to ensure protection of patients, financial allocation, transparency and accountability in the health sector.

It proposed adopting several new laws like Bangladesh Health Commission Act, Bangladesh Health Service Act, Primary Healthcare Act, Health Protection Act, Medicine Price Fixation and Access Act, Allied Health Professional Act and Bangladesh Medical Research Council Act.

Dr Hossain said the commission suggested constituting the Bangladesh Health Service (BHS) aiming to ensure universal and easy-to-access healthcare services to all.

The reform commission proposed forming a high-level search committee to bring transparency in appointment of high-level officials in different entities of the health sector.

It also suggested formation of an independent public service commission (health) to recruit manpower in the health sector. 
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Commission Members Prof Md Muhammad Zakir Hossain, Prof Dr Liaquat Ali, Prof Dr Sayera Akther, MM Reza, Dr Azharul Islam, Prof Dr Syed Atiqul Haque, Dr Ahmed Ahsanur Rahman and Omair Afif also present at the press briefing.

Earlier, in the day, the Health Sector Reform Commission members, led by its chief Prof AK Azad Khan, handed over the report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at about 11 am at the State Guest House Jamuna.

In November 2024, the interim government formed a 12-member Health Sector Reform Commission.

The members are: Prof AK Azad Khan (chief), president of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh; Prof Md Muhammad Zakir Hossain of Public Health and Health Informatics Department at BSMMU; Prof Dr Liaquat Ali, chairman of Pothikrit Foundation; Prof Dr Sayera Akther, a gynecologist; Prof Dr Naila Zaman Khan, a neurologist, the Department of Pediatric Neuroscience; MM Reza, former secretary; Prof Dr Muzaherul Huq, former regional adviser (South-East Asia Region) at the WHO; Dr Azharul Islam, ICDDR,B; Prof Dr Syed Md Akram Hossain, Square Cancer Centre, Square Hospital; Prof Dr Syed Atiqul Haque, chief consultant of Green Life Centre for Rheumatic Care and Research; Dr Ahmed Ahsanur Rahman, scientist at ICDDR,B; and Omair Afif, a student of Dhaka Medical College.