Health sector gets Tk41,908cr in FY26

Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :

With a strong focus on achieving universal health coverage by 2030, the government has proposed an allocation of Tk 41,908 crore for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the national budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.

This allocation represents 5.3 per cent of the total proposed national budget of Tk 79,000 crore and highlights the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s health infrastructure and services. In the budget of FY2024-25, the allocation was Tk 41,407 crore.

The proposal was presented by the Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in a pre-recorded speech broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar.

In his speech, the adviser emphasized that ensuring affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare for all citizens is essential for building a healthy, productive population, which is a prerequisite for sustainable national development.

To ensure healthcare services for the poor, an additional Tk 4,166 crore has been proposed for providing free medical services to underprivileged people. Tk 1,000 crore has been allocated specifically for the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), aiming to strengthen immunization efforts across the country.

In an effort to improve accessibility and simplify healthcare delivery, telemedicine services have been introduced in 232 hospitals, and expert consultation services are now available through digital health call centers named ‘Health Window’.