The government is set to establish a Primary Healthcare Network to provide medical services to public, involving the recruitment of 100,000 health workers and 25,000 midwives over the next four years.
Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Affairs SM Ziauddin Hyder disclosed the information during a press conference held at the Secretariat on Sunday. He said two midwives would be stationed in every rural union and every urban ward across the country.
As part of the new initiative, the existing 14,000 community clinics will be integrated into “Health Hubs”. Ziauddin clarified that the designation “Community Clinic” will cease to exist as they transition into this new framework.
The Primary Healthcare Network will initially be launched as a pilot project in five districts – Khulna, Narsingdi, Sirajganj, Noakhali, and Bogra.
The project is expected to be approved at the upcoming meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). A total of $45 million has been allocated for the network, with Asian Development Bank (ADB) contributing $15 million, while the remaining funds will be provided from the government’s own budget.
The government intends to bring the entire population under an e-health card system. This digital health service will also debut in the five pilot districts before a nationwide rollout.
Addressing the failure of the measles vaccination programme, Ziauddin attributed the lapse to the negligence of the interim government. “It is true and clear. There is no need for a separate investigation into this,” he remarked.
