Staff Reporter :
Allocation on health services has been increased by 23 percent to Tk 292.47 billion in the proposed national budget in 2020-21 fiscal year, compared with the revised budget for the current year, to deal with the impact of the coronavirus epidemic.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal proposed it during placing his proposed budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year in the Parliament on Thursday.
Besides, the Finance Minister proposed an allocation of Tk 100 billion to fulfil emergency requirements for the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
“The government will do everything required to address the epidemic of the coronavirus,” he said while unveiling the budget.
In the fiscal year 2019-20, the health sector received more than Tk 257 billion, but during the pandemic hit, the allotment is not sufficient for health workers and facilities and personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors, nurses and other health workers.
The Finance Minister has given importance to invent sustainable methods to combat coronavirus like pandemics in future.
He also stressed on to conduct proper research on epidemiology and disease control.
“Bangladeshi students will have to engage themselves strongly in health science, engineering and research-related tasks,” AHM Mustafa Kamal said.
Finance Minister said, “If we really want to see our country as a developed country, it is a must to formulate an included health-education and science and technology research guideline, creating funds and increasing allocation for this sector,” he said.
The health education and family welfare sector gets Tk 63.63 billion in the proposed budget.
Besides, Tk 228.84 billion, as the rest of the proposed allocation, will be spent on health services.
The health services are now in combat against the spreading of the coronavirus.
AHM Kamal stated that programmes related to health and family welfare, are given Tk 410.27 billion allocations in the FY2020-21, which will be implemented with the joint efforts of 13 ministries and divisions.
The allotment is 1.3 percent of GDP and 7.2 percent of total budget allocations, the minister elaborated.
“Our government wants to transform the health sector with research culture through formulating new policies or revising existing ones in coordination among different government departments,” the minister said.
The Finance Minister has given importance on development of an integrated policy for scientific research in health education so that healthcare of the developed countries can be available in Bangladesh.
He proposed to allot Tk 100 crore to develop ‘integrated health-science research and development fund’.
A high power committee will be formed to oversee the activities of the committee comprising with experienced health researchers, nutrition scientists, public health and social scientists, economists, ecologists, civil society and other representatives.
