Shishir Reza :
How much people are affected by cancer? Have any relationship between poverty and health care in Bangladesh? What are the inequality rising factors in health sector? These information are available in a recently published book namely “In Search of a Transition from the Virus-Driven Great Disaster to a Decent Bangladesh: on the Larger Canvas of Society-Economy-State” written by Economist Prof. Dr. Abul Barkat.
The theory of a “Decent life system” is based on a democratic state system, which puts loyalty to nature at the front position; all socio-economic and political foundations should be built on the basis of the influence of nature. In general, it is probably new concept of socio-economic science. There are three foundational component of this concept. Social foundational component owns knowledge rich, free thinking and creativity promoting; solidarity rich; secular; free from all forms of superstitions; rational humans; human welfare science. Economic foundational component includes people’s ownership on natural resources; social ownership on production; filthy rich less; share and market less system. Political foundational component includes democracy, lord less state system, social justice, community administration and people’s responsibility to protect motherland. The fundamental objectives of the theory of decent society are accelerating the process of human enlightenment; creativity promoting knowledge system; instilling high sense of solidarity; process of making human rationality up; making people free from all forms of inequality; free from rent-seeker; making a state for 100% peoples ownership and master less civic governance.
Abul Barkat presents 11 principles to renovate decent Bangladesh from covid-19 impacts. 1. We want development-welfare-progression, but the development would be nature-environment oriented; 2. We need economic growth. We don’t need environmentally harmful, socially unjustified, human resources destructive growth; 3. Growth should be inequality reduced; 4. Growth must be employment-creation oriented; 5. Per capita income or growth domestic product is not development. It must be ensure healthy life of women-children-old-marginal-poor-deprived-isolated people; 6. We want to transform the power of youth to real resources; 7. We want positive social impact; 8. People’s ownership on natural resources (land, water body, forest, space resources, coal, gas and mineral) on behalf of nature; 9. We want to uphold human security and equal opportunity for state-society-economy’ development; 10. Promote inequality reduced home grown development philosophy; 11. We want to extract the taste global economic opportunities.
In general, for human progress and humane development, three conditions are important-1. Ensure healthy longevity, 2. Enlightens human and 3. Permanent increase in real income.
Prof. Abul Barkat deeply analyses the health inequalities (health outcomes, health seeking behavior, economic burden of ill health). He mentions different dimensions of health – physical health, mental health, emotional health, intellectual health, social health, spiritual health and environmental health and their interconnection. The relationship between social and environmental health sometimes affect our physical (Cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive and nervous system) and mental health (feelings, behavior, psychological challenge of life).
Economist Abul Barkat estimates the health care status in Bangladesh. Out of 170 million people, 80 million people are deprived to access primary health care; every year 50% child die out of 9 lacs people; 70 million people are deprived to drink pure potable water; 50% people suffer from hypertension; 10% people are diabetes patient in Bangladesh; 14% affected from chronic kidney diseases; 18-20 lacs people suffer from hearing diseases; thyroid problem suffers 1.5 crors people; 1.7 million people suffer from cancer; 23 lac women are affected from brest cancer; 2.5 t0 3 crore people suffers ostrio arthritis and 1.5 crore people affected by COPD Asthma.
Public health must be seen as real public goods, and accordingly, shall be addressed by the State. This is an issue of compliance with the Constitutional rights. The Government must see investing in people’s health as not just a social sector investment but an investment towards accelerated economic development and poverty eradication. This is an issue of respecting people’s life and dignity with fully informed concern and commitment. The people – especially the poor and marginalized people – must know about their health rights and must be adequately empowered to exercise and assert those rights. This is an issue of people’s conscientization.
Sustainable development goals include good health and wellbeing for all by 2030. We need proper strategies, financial support and public participation to achieve this goal. To ensure health facilities for all, Barkat suggests forming a ‘Health Protection Department’ and to allocate as much as Tk 40,000 crore for it.
(Mr. Reza is an Environmental Analyst and Associate Member, Bangladesh Economic Association).
