Tk 567.5b govt projects to bring healthcare to people's doorsteps

The government has moved to implement two major health-sector projects involving a proposed investment of Tk 567.5064 billion to expand treatment capacity at upazila health complexes and strengthen primary healthcare infrastructure at union and ward levels across the country.

The projects, scheduled to be implemented between December 2026 and November 2029, aim to construct, reconstruct, upgrade, remodel and renovate healthcare facilities, expand treatment capacity and improve access to essential services, particularly for rural and marginalised communities.

According to the draft Development Project Proposal (DPP) received from the Planning Commission, the first project, titled 'Construction, Reconstruction, Upgradation, Remodeling and Repair and Reform Works of Health Complexes at Upazila Level in Bangladesh', has a proposed cost of Tk 447.57385 billion.

The second, titled 'Construction, Reconstruction, Upgradation, Remodeling and Repair and Reform Works of Health Infrastructures at Union and Ward Level in Bangladesh', involves Tk 119.932582 billion.

Both projects propose full government financing. The Planning Commission has recommended further scrutiny of implementation arrangements, construction costs, procurement plans, staffing requirements and environmental safeguards before approval.

Talking to BSS, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare M A Muhit said the present government has inherited a health system suffering from inadequate infrastructure, equipment and manpower, while many facilities at union and upazila levels had remained unrepaired or unrenovated for years.

Existing 30-bed and 50-bed upazila health complexes are no longer adequate for many areas, where populations have grown substantially, with some upazilas now serving eight to 10 lakh people, he said.

As part of a major initiative to rebuild the health sector, the government has taken a "historic" decision to transform health complexes in all 503 upazilas into fully equipped 151-bed hospitals, he added.

The government is also rebuilding and renovating union-level healthcare facilities, making primary healthcare the centrepiece of its broader reform programme. The objective is to enable upazila hospitals to treat around 80 percent of common and moderately complex illnesses, including maternal and child health conditions, reducing pressure on district and divisional hospitals.

According to project documents, the proposed Tk 447.57385 billion project will be implemented by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) while the Public Works Department and Health Engineering Department will execute construction works.

The project targets include 18 hospitals with 51 beds each, 305 with 101 beds, 83 with 132 beds, 13 with 120 beds and 24 with 151 beds each. It also includes integrated multi-storey service buildings at 443 upazilas and residential facilities for doctors, nurses and other staff at 15 upazilas.

It will replace unsafe buildings, retrofit structurally suitable facilities and renovate existing infrastructure. It also covers internal roads, boundary walls, gates, guardrooms, water supply, drainage and electricity networks.

The upgraded hospitals will have intensive care units, coronary care units, one-stop emergency centres, modern operation theatres, maternal and newborn care, kidney dialysis, eye treatment, cancer screening and separate physiotherapy services for male and female patients.

The project also envisages central medical gas supplies, medical waste management, sewage treatment plants, fire safety systems, solar power and backup generators. Improved infrastructure and treatment capacity are also expected to help reduce maternal and infant mortality.

The second project, costing Tk 119.932582 billion will also be implemented by the DGHS while the Health Engineering Department will carry out construction.

It targets 14,634 primary healthcare hubs and 1,631 primary healthcare centres.

Of the hubs, 5,936 will be rebuilt, 8,348 repaired or remodelled and 350 newly constructed. Among the centres, 428 will be rebuilt, 605 repaired or remodelled and 598 newly constructed.

The project also provides furniture for 6,286 new or rebuilt hubs and 1,026 centres, alongside medical equipment for 1,026 centres. Supporting facilities will include safe water, electricity or solar power, sanitation, drainage, waste management, fire safety and accessible entrances.

The expanded network will strengthen maternal and child healthcare, women's health, mental healthcare, services for older people and persons with disabilities, basic laboratory testing, pharmacy services and referral links with higher-level hospitals.

As part of the community-based healthcare expansion, Muhit said the government planned to recruit an additional 100,000 health workers in phases, on top of the existing 40,000, taking the total workforce to around 140,000.

Recruitment of the first 30,000 workers is already being processed, he said, adding that they would receive training and toolkits to provide services at ward- and union-level facilities.

The workers will also visit households regularly, at least once every two months, to provide health advice, conduct basic health checks, identify patients requiring further treatment and refer them to upazila-level facilities.

"We want to take healthcare not merely to people's doorsteps, but inside their homes," Muhit said.