Reza Mahmud, reporting from Rajshahi :
Nearly half of hypertension (HTN) patients in the Rajshahi region struggle to control their blood pressure, but recent government initiatives to distribute free medicines are offering new hope. Under this programme, local patients receive 22 types of medications for hypertension and diabetes from community clinics at no cost.
“As we are getting free medicines at our doorstep, it will help us manage diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes,” said Chanmun Khatun, a 43-year-old patient at Tetulia Community Clinic in Hujuripara, Paba Upazila, Rajshahi District. Chanmun, who has had diabetes for the past 5-6 years and hypertension for the last four, suffered a stroke and was left paralysed three years ago due to undiagnosed high blood pressure.
Like her, around half of hypertension patients in Rajshahi are unaware of their condition, putting them at high risk for strokes, paralysis, or other serious complications. Many avoid regular blood pressure checkups, primarily due to financial constraints, leading to late diagnoses and increased medical costs. Patients with high blood pressure often need medications costing around Tk 5,000-6,000 per month, an expense that many, especially poor farmers, find burdensome.
To address this issue, the government has launched a programme to distribute free medications for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension and diabetes. Community clinics have become a crucial part of this initiative.
At Tetulia Community Clinic, Community Health Care Provider (CHCP) Mofizul Islam Sabuj shared that 30 to 50 patients visit the clinic daily.
A visit to Kumrapukur Community Clinic in Nouhata Municipality revealed a similar scene, where around 25 patients, both male and female, came to collect their prescribed medicines.
“We only distribute medicines as prescribed by the Upazila Health Complex. Most of the poor patients are now aware of the importance of getting their medicine on time,” said Moshiur Rahman, CHCP at Kumrapukur Clinic. He added that if patients forget to collect their medicines, clinic staff call to remind them.
Many patients, like 47-year-old Arifa Begum, expressed gratitude for the convenience of community clinics, which save time and money compared to traveling to upazila hospitals. For them, community clinics have become a lifeline.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) report from September 2023 revealed that 33% of people aged 33 to 79 globally suffer from high blood pressure. In Bangladesh, 55% of hypertension patients are unaware of their condition, and only 15% manage to control it through medication.
The government’s programme to distribute free medicines is part of a broader effort to reduce the risks of NCDs. Implemented through 182 upazila health complexes and community clinics, the initiative has expanded across 236 community clinics in 11 upazilas in Rajshahi district since 2023. Progga (Knowledge for Progress), with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), has been raising awareness through media campaigns.
In 2023 and 2024, approximately 22,503 patients in Rajshahi district received medical services, including 12,800 hypertension patients and 9,703 diabetes patients.
Ehsanul Amin Imon, Programme Officer for the HTN Control Programme at the National Heart Foundation, emphasised the need for year-round free medicine distribution at community clinics. He noted that many patients are unable to visit upazila health complexes due to transportation costs and time constraints, making community clinics crucial in reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases.