Zubaida calls for accessible healthcare

Ziaur Rahman Foundation Vice President and cardiologist Dr Zubaida Rahman on Thursday called for building a humane and effective healthcare system to ensure that no villager dies for lack of treatment and no pregnant woman or newborn loses life because of inadequate medical care.

Speaking as the chief guest at a programme held at the Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College auditorium in the capital, where meritorious students were honoured for their academic achievements, she said Bangladesh should strive to build a healthcare system that sets an example for the world.

“We want a future Bangladesh where no sick villager dies because of lack of treatment, no pregnant woman dies without receiving proper medical care, and no newborn leaves its mother’s lap because of inadequate healthcare,” she said. Congratulating the award recipients, Dr Zubaida also praised students who had continued cultural activities alongside their demanding medical studies.

Describing the students as some of the country’s brightest minds, she said they had earned the opportunity to study medicine through merit and urged them to combine professional excellence with compassion.

She encouraged aspiring doctors to pursue higher education and advanced medical training abroad but urged them to return and serve the people of Bangladesh.

Highlighting the country’s healthcare challenges, Dr Zubaida said Bangladesh has only 0.83 physicians per 1,000 people, meaning one doctor often serves between 1,200 and 1,800 patients, with the situation even more severe in rural areas.

She said 70 to 75 per cent of doctors work in urban areas, although 78 per cent of the population lives in rural and remote regions.

Dr Zubaida also noted that Bangladesh has only 0.549 nurses per 1,000 people, compared with the World Health Organization’s benchmark of 1.48 nurses per 1,000 people.

She added that while the WHO recommends 2.28 doctors per 1,000 people, Bangladesh has only one government doctor for every 6,500 people, making inadequate healthcare a major contributor to poverty.

Expressing confidence in the next generation of doctors, she said dedication, hard work and patriotism could help transform the country’s healthcare system and improve access to quality medical services, particularly in underserved rural communities.