Major political parties have emphasized health issues in their election manifestos, but experts point out a lack of clarity in implementation plans and ambitious pledges. Despite including reform measures in the health sector in their agendas, none of the parties addressed core reform proposals recommended by the Health Sector Service Commission, such as establishing a separate health commission and health service.
Prof Syed Abdul Hamid from the Institute of Health Economics at Dhaka University noted the need for the incoming government to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a practical plan with sufficient funding to improve health services effectively and combat corruption. The health sector in the country faces challenges like inadequate funding, health worker shortages, high out-of-pocket expenses, unequal access to services, and weak governance at a critical time when the total fertility rate is rising after 50 years.
Key political parties like BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB), and National Citizen Party (NCP) have outlined various health agendas in their manifestos. BNP proposed initiatives such as increasing health expenditure to five percent of GDP, issuing e-health cards, providing free primary healthcare, recruiting additional health workers, and fostering public-private partnerships for non-communicable diseases. Jamaat suggested policies like free treatment for specific age groups, optimizing health facility capacities, tripling the health budget gradually, and eliminating partisan activities in medical institutions.
On the other hand, IAB focused on improving government hospitals, ensuring self-sufficiency in local health complexes, and cracking down on irregularities in the private healthcare sector. NCP aimed to establish specialized healthcare zones in different regions and implement a GPS-tracked National Ambulance and Pre-Hospital Emergency Care System.
Prof Hamid praised the emphasis on health in political manifestos but expressed concern about the feasibility of some ambitious pledges. He commended BNP for prioritizing primary healthcare and anti-corruption measures while highlighting the importance of program details for successful implementation. Similarly, he acknowledged Jamaat’s commitment to enhancing health budgets and facility capacities but noted the lack of specifics in their plans.
Regarding funding promises, Prof Hamid deemed BNP’s target of five percent of GDP for health expenditure as unrealistic, given the current budget allocation. He stressed the importance of gradual increases in the health budget to ensure effective utilization. He also questioned the feasibility of Jamaat’s pledge to provide free treatment to specific age groups, citing the need for significant investment and system overhaul.
Prof Be-Nazir Ahmed echoed concerns about the parties’ unrealistic financing promises and service commitments, emphasizing the need for more detailed and targeted approaches beyond populist rhetoric. The parties’ manifestos lack clarity on crucial elements like medical education quality, testing accuracy, and health workforce adequacy, according to Prof Be-Nazir.
