'Bangladesh can pursue universal health coverage'
(bdnews24.com) - Bangladesh has all the prerequisites to adopt the idea of universal health coverage (UHC) to protect its people from slipping into poverty and tackle new challenges with regard to the changing population, the Managing Director of Rockefeller Foundation, Jeanette Vega, has said.
"You have great achievements in health, a vibrant civil society and a very good government system - all the conditions necessary to adopt universal health coverage," she told bdnews24.com in an interview during her Bangladesh visit.
Vega, who is also implementing the foundation's Transforming Health Systems Initiative, said budget is not the problem to launch the relatively new idea, "if a country has a clear political commitment."
According to her, due to heavy out-of-pocket expenditure, preventive aspects of health remain ignored among Bangladeshi people, who eventually have to pay more for late arrival in the hospitals.
"It's (UHC) a very simple concept.
Bangladesh: Moving Towards Universal Healthcare?
BRAC Blog: The launch of the Bangladesh Health Watch Report for 2011 was held at BRAC Centre Inn on February 20, 2012. The Hon'able Minister of Finance, Mr. Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was the Chief guest along with the Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare Prof Dr. A. F. M. Ruhal Haq. Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sen was the Guest of honour. Representatives of the Bangladesh Health Watch Prof Rounaq Jahan, Dr. Faruque Ahmed, Dr Syed Masud Ahmed and Dr Ahmed Al Sabir also spoke at the occasion. A large audience of relevant policy makers and professionals attended the ceremony. This year’s report is titled “Moving towards Universal Health Coverage”.
This was the fourth report of the Bangladesh Health Watch, an effort in 2006 as a civil society initiative to monitor the progress of good health for all in Bangladesh.
Out-of-pocket payment at point of service exceeds 64pc of health expenditure
The Financial Express: Despite having significant results in some of the health fronts, the out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure accounts for 64 per cent of the total health expenditure in the country, said a health watch report Monday.
"Despite continuing improvements in the health sector in recent times in Bangladesh, the income erosion effect of ill health for the poor households is also well documented.