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Thursday | November 12, 2026 | Dhaka

Funding gap threatens hypertension fight

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:05 AM, 12 November 2026

Bangladesh needs sustained and adequate funding to tackle the growing burden of hypertension and reduce the risk of premature deaths, speakers at a journalists’ workshop said on Wednesday.

Around 283,800 people died of cardiovascular diseases in the country in 2024, with hypertension accounting for 52% of the deaths, according to data presented at the workshop.

They said a significant portion of the increased health budget should be allocated to controlling hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to prevent avoidable deaths.

The recommendations were made at a workshop titled “Sustainable Financing for Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress, Barriers and the Way Forward” at the BIP conference room in Dhaka.

Research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) organised the event in collaboration with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). Around 25 journalists from print, television and online media attended.

According to data presented at the workshop, around 570,263 people die of various NCDs in Bangladesh every year, accounting for nearly 71% of all deaths. Of these deaths, 19% are premature.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ Health and Morbidity Status Survey 2025 identified hypertension as the leading condition among the country’s top 10 diseases.

However, World Bank data show that only 4.2% of Bangladesh’s health budget is spent on controlling NCDs.

Speakers said inadequate funding had disrupted the regular supply of free hypertension medicines at NCD corners in community clinics and upazila health complexes. Dr Md Enamul Haque, director general of the Health Economics Unit, said the allocation for the health sector had been increased from 5.3% to 7.4% in the current budget, describing the move as commendable.

“It is now important to invest a portion of this increased allocation in hypertension control,” he said.
Zahirul Alam, executive director of Channel 24, said the media and social media platforms should continue regular campaigns highlighting the need for sustainable financing to control hypertension.

Among others, GHAI Associate Director (Non-Communicable Diseases) Ezinne Ezeokwe, Bangladesh Country Lead Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA) Convener Murtaza Haider Liton and PROGGA Executive Director ABM Zubair attended the workshop.

PROGGA Programme Head Hasan Shariar and Programme Officer Samiha Binte Kamal made thematic presentations.