Poor get only 3pc of govt health services
Speakers tell discussion
Staff Correspondent
Accountability will have to be ensured in private and public healthcare centres so that the poor people can get proper health services there, said the speakers at a discussion yesterday.They stressed the need for strict monitoring of the activities of different healthcare centres to enforce the accountability. The speakers said the poor people receive only three percent of their required health services from the public hospitals. They also said the mismanagement and corruption in the healthcare system is mainly responsible for this. The discussion titled 'Poor People's Access to Health Services' was organised by Peoples Health Movement (PHM) in association with Action Aid Bangladesh at LGED auditorium in the city. The discussion was presided over by PHM Chairman Mohammad Shafiuddin. Prof Abul Barakat of Dhaka University presented a research paper titled 'Barriers in poor people's access to public healthcare facilities in Bangladesh' at the discussion. The study, conducted on 266 poor families at six divisions in the country, revealed that 23 percent of the poor who badly need healthcare services do not go to healthcare centres for lack of money. Besides, distance of medical centres, lack of knowledge, psycho-social and cultural barriers are also responsible for this. "Budget allocation should be increased for the poor and it should be ensured that the outcome of the additional allocation goes to them," Dr Barakat recommended, adding that the attitude of the service centres should be poor-friendly. He said the government should change the essential drug policy as it compels the poor to spend most of their money for medicine. Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury of Gonoswastha Kendra stressed the need for institutional accountability and asked the government to manufacture medicines of AIDS, tuberculosis and cancer so that the poor can buy them at cheaper prices. Khushi Kabir, executive director of Nijera Kori, said the health sector should not be transferred to private sector, but if so, stern monitoring should be maintained to provide healthcare services to the poor people. Later at the public hearing session, people who faced problems in getting access to healthcare services narrated their bitter experiences. Country Director of Action Aid Bangladesh Nasreen Huq facilitated the discussion.
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