From USA, April 28: Bangladesh’s State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. M A Muhit, has said that the country’s healthcare system is facing a deeper crisis from the inefficient use of existing resources than from a lack of funding or infrastructure.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Rethinking Urban Health Systems: From Research to Policy” in Gulshan on Tuesday, the minister said many healthcare facilities across the country are still operating below their full capacity, limiting access to quality care for the public.
“We often talk about shortages in the health sector, but my belief is that the resources we already have are not being used efficiently,” Dr. Muhit said. “Research presented at this seminar shows that with proper management, healthcare services at the upazila level could increase by nearly 42 percent without additional spending.”
The seminar was jointly organized by the BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health and the research initiative CHORUS, focusing on urban health disparities, data-driven planning, and stronger coordination between public and private institutions.
Dr. Muhit also highlighted the need for local-level health data to improve service delivery, expressing concern over significant health inequalities within different neighborhoods of Dhaka.
“Although Dhaka is a single city, the diversity in poverty and healthcare access across wards is striking,” he said. “Using detailed local data can help us fine-tune implementation and ensure greater health equity for ordinary people.”
The minister stressed that healthcare should not only focus on disease treatment but also on patient well-being and satisfaction, noting that a people-centered system must reflect the real needs of citizens.
He also called for closer cooperation between universities, research institutions, and the government so that academic findings can play a stronger role in shaping national health policy.
Public health experts, researchers, and representatives from international development organizations attended the seminar, where speakers emphasized strategic purchasing and stronger public-private partnerships to improve urban healthcare services in Bangladesh.
