Non-communicable diseases are increasing alarmingly: health minister

Health minister Zahid MalequeFile Photo

Health minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday said they are now focusing on the non-communicable diseases as the number of cases is increasing alarmingly in the country, UNB reports.

“We could not focus on non-communicable diseases during the Covid-19 pandemic and as a result the number of cases has increased alarmingly,” he said at a program organised by the DGHS in the city on the occasion of National Health Day 2022.

The minister said non-communicable diseases are the causes of more than 67 per cent deaths in the country.

Healthcare services are not provided only in the governmental centres, half of the services are provided by the private sector, he said adding private hospitals have also played a significant role in battling Covid-19.

About vaccination drive against Covid, the minister said that about 75 per cent of the targeted population in the country have been vaccinated.

Some 80 to 100 million are yet to receive the booster dose. The campaign for booster dose will start on 4 June, Zahid Maleque said.

“We will be more secure from the virus with booster dose.”

Besides, the drive against illegal clinics and private hospitals and diagnostic centres is also going on, said the minister.

Zahid Maleque further said in this regard that there are nearly 11,000 diagnostic centres in Bangladesh and many of these are not up to the mark in terms of quality.

“We are keeping an eye on them so that people are not deceived.”