The government will establish primary healthcare units in every union across the country and is set to swiftly recruit 11,495 physicians to fill vacant posts in public hospitals.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain announced these initiatives in Parliament during a question-and-answer session on Monday. He was responding to separate queries from lawmakers Nilufar Chowdhury Moni and Mosharraf Hossain.
Primary healthcare units in every union
To deliver essential healthcare directly to marginal communities, the government plans to set up a primary healthcare unit in each of the country’s unions, where patients will receive free consultations and medicines for common ailments.
Each unit will be equipped with a mini-laboratory and a pharmacy, and will oversee three community clinics or marginal healthcare centres to safeguard the health of working-class people.
Addressing a query regarding the deployment of mobile hospitals for working-class populations, Sakhawat explained that such an initiative cannot be implemented without first conducting a comprehensive feasibility study.
Massive recruitment drive to fill vacancies
To resolve critical manpower shortages in public healthcare, the government is moving forward with a major recruitment drive. Out of 41,806 approved physician posts in public hospitals nationwide, 30,311 are currently in service, leaving 11,495 positions vacant.
The Minister detailed that the government has already recruited a substantial number of physicians through the 44th and 48th Special Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations.
Additionally, the recruitment process for assistant surgeons through the 45th, 46th, 47th and 50th BCS examinations is currently underway.
Addressing national healthcare shortage
Sakhawat clarified that the total number of registered physicians in Bangladesh does not equate to the active workforce currently employed within the public healthcare system. Beyond filling existing vacancies, the government plans to systematically increase the number of public doctors based on public demands.
Citing a government-funded national health workforce study conducted in 2026, the Minister noted that based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) minimum standard of 0.50 physicians per 1,000 people, Bangladesh will require approximately 88,909 physicians in 2026.
With only 30,311 doctors currently serving in public hospitals, the country faces a deficit of 58,598 physicians against this international benchmark.
Hossain assured Parliament that these vacancies will be filled in phases, and new posts will be created as required to sustain an accessible, high-quality, and people-friendly public healthcare system.
