Health sector allocations should be used, not returned

Bangladesh’s health sector budget is comparatively low in comparison with India and many other countries. It is unfortunate that our relevant departments and institutions fail to use the allocated funds. This situation prevails from the grassroots to the centre. Prothom Alo’s lead report on Saturday was on the return of allocated funds.

According to the report, the government defrayed Tk 300,000 to upazila health complex for management of coronavirus patients. The amount was meant to be spent on preparations for the treatment if coronavirus patients, procurement of equipment and other sectors. But many upazilas failed to spend even a penny in this regard while some upazilas have spent the budget only partially. Upazilas have got same amount of allocation this year too.

The funds were disbursed to the health complexes to ensure healthcare facilities for coronavirus infected people. The money was supposed to be used for infrastructural development, manpower and medical equipment as per the necessity. Although return of the allocation did no harm to the officials in charge, it was the people who incurred the loss.

According to the Prothom Alo report, 11 health complexes out of 45 in 11 districts failed to spend the allocated money. And 10 health complexes used the money partially while 21 spent the full amount of the allocated funds.

The second wave of coronavirus in the country has shown us how disastrous the situation can be if upazila health complexes are dilapidated. The first wave of the virus mostly hit the big cities while the infection rate was higher in border-lying districts and upazilas during the second wave.

Public health experts blame weak financial management system for disuse of allocated money at the upazila level. Officials in many upazilas have no experience or efficiency to spend the allocated funds. Moreover, the health ministry’s guidelines on spending money are difficult to comply with amid the coronavirus situation. Many upazila health complexes thus returned the money to avoid complications.

There was also delay in getting the allocation in some cases. They did not seem to consider even once that people of fringe areas with coronavirus symptoms go to upazila health complexes first. Treatment is possible in upazila health complexes if the patients’ health condition is normal.

Also, many people do not have the financial capability to take treatment at hospitals in district level. Most of the health complexes refer the patients to district hospitals on the pretext that they do not have adequate checkup facilities and medical equipment.

There should be investigations into the upazila health complexes that returned full or partial allocations. The problems should be identified and sorted out. Also, the financial management ability of upazila health complexes should be increased through training and regular monitoring. Otherwise, the allocated budget would be returned every time which will further weaken our already frail healthcare system. The authorities must ensure proper use of budget, rather than returning the allocation.