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Editorial

Extreme disasters and inadequacies in the health sector

We must learn from the pandemic to develop


Bangladeshpost
Published : 05 Jun 2020 08:20 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 10:12 PM

The situation in the country has deteriorated quite a bit while trying to deal with the epidemic of coronavirus in the neglected health sector of Bangladesh. There is no discipline anywhere in this sector. 

Even during the epidemic, irregularities and corruption in the health sector have not stopped. On the other hand, government hospitals do not have the desired services to counter this outbreak. Moreover, there is no research regarding this also. 

The budget for the fiscal year 2020-21 is to be presented in the National Assembly on Thursday, June 11. It is already known that in the new budget, about taka 9 thousand crore more than the outgoing fiscal year will be allocated to the health sector. 

According to the concerned department of the government, a total of Tk 28,000 crore may be allocated for the health sector. While, the allocation for health sector in the current financial year is Tk 19,000 crore. 

The Ministry of Health has requested an increase in the budget allocation in the wake of the unprecedented outbreak of the epidemic that has been going on for months.

According to sources, the current stalemate in the critical health sector is reflected in the current state of affairs. In such a situation, the forthcoming budget shows that the sector is not getting the allocation as per the expectations of the nation. 

It remains to be seen whether the allocation will increase in proportion to the country's demand and whether it will increase significantly as a percentage of the total budget. 

According to experts, this increase is not enough because fruitful development is not possible without effective research. For this, communication between the concerned local and foreign organizations should be increased. 

The budget should focus more on the health sector and food security this fiscal. In addition, it is important to ensure the highest level of transparency and accountability in spending money in the health sector. 

If this is not established then the image of the country and the government will be tarnished, and the general people will suffer because of it. Time demands immediate prevention of recurrence of this condition.