Govt aims to reduce dependency on foreign treatment

The government is working to reduce dependency on foreign treatment for patients suffering from specific diseases, said Prof Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the health ministry yesterday.

Speaking at a discussion meeting at Dhaka University, titled "Healthcare Services: Ways to Reduce Dependency on Foreign Treatment", Prof Rahman emphasised that while some patients travel abroad for treatment out of necessity, others do so due to perception.

The event was organised by Alliance for Health Reforms, Bangladesh, a citizens' platform comprising public health experts, health economists, and academics, with support from the Institute of Health Economics at Dhaka University and the UK's Department for International Development.

Prof Rahman highlighted the government's goal to implement equitable healthcare services. "While the current healthcare system is inadequate, we are working to make it more efficient," he said.

Addressing the issue of foreign treatment dependency, he explained that a longstanding gap between service recipients and providers has led to the perception that domestic healthcare is subpar. To counter this, the government is focusing on three diseases, including cancer, to reduce reliance on foreign medical services. The remaining two diseases will be announced soon.

Prof Rahman said that the government will provide incentives for private healthcare providers and establish advanced treatment facilities at BSMMU Super Specialized Hospital. He further explained that if the cost of treatment is comparable domestically and abroad, the aim is to encourage patients to seek care within Bangladesh.

Incentives for private healthcare and necessary legal frameworks will also be introduced, he added. "New laws or amendments to existing ones will be considered to address this issue," he said.

Prof Syed Abdul Hamid, of Dhaka University's Institute of Health Economics, presented findings from a study on patients seeking treatment abroad. The study revealed dissatisfaction with domestic healthcare, including issues such as long wait times, inaccurate diagnoses, high costs, and unsatisfactory doctor-patient relationships.

Abul Kalam Azad, former Director-General of the DGHS, acknowledged the limitations of the current healthcare system. "We need to work with what we have, but significant changes will take time," he said.

Dr Shafiqul Rahman Patwary, a cardiologist, pointed to political interference among doctors as a key issue eroding public trust in the healthcare system. He called for a ban on politics in medical colleges and hospitals to restore discipline.

Dr Lenin Chowdhury, a public health expert, suggested that reducing dependency on foreign treatment requires the government to stop seeking treatment abroad, which would help strengthen domestic healthcare.

Dr Ahmed Ehsan of icddr,b highlighted the cost of medical tourism, saying that policy formulation should be based on solid data to reduce the reliance on foreign treatment.

The event was moderated by Dr Abu Jamil Faisal, President-elect of the Public Health Association of Bangladesh.