Zubaida Rahman, wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has said that healthcare is not a privilege but a fundamental right of every citizen, as she outlined a vision for equitable medical services for marginalised communities in the capital.
Speaking as the chief guest at a views-exchange meeting at Kurmitola General Hospital on Tuesday, Zubaida Rahman said the country’s health sector has long suffered from neglect, but the government is working to build a system where no citizen is denied necessary treatment.
“Today we have gathered here to provide comprehensive healthcare, to the best of our ability, for the residents of Karail, Bhasantek, and Sat Tola slums,” she said.
Zubaida Rahman painted a stark picture of the current healthcare landscape, noting that government hospitals are under immense pressure while health workers remain demoralised and unevenly deprived.
“Access to quality services is an unequal struggle for millions of people every day,” she said. “72 percent of health expenditure is borne directly by the people. As a result, illness has now become one of the primary causes of poverty.”
She added that 42.6 percent of residents in the area seek solutions to daily health problems at local pharmacies, often unwilling to take leave from work due to illness – a situation she described as “truly remarkable.”
The prime minister’s spouse emphasised that the government’s goal is to ensure that residents of Korail,
Bhasantek, and Sat Tola are never again deprived of medical care.
“From newborn infants to the elderly, everyone should receive proper treatment,” she said. “Expectant mothers should easily and quickly receive solutions to complex problems.”
She called for dedicated volunteers from within the Dhaka-17 constituency to inform residents about the free healthcare services available at Kurmitola General Hospital.
“We believe that healthcare is not a privilege – it is a fundamental right of every human being,” Zubaida Rahman said.
Earlier, Zubaida Rahman inaugurated the Pathology Pavilion, Gastro-liver Center, and a 50-bed ICU at Kurmitola General Hospital. Following the inauguration, she visited patients admitted to the ICU, enquired about their treatment, and spoke with relevant staff regarding the quality of medical services. She urged doctors to ensure the highest level of care for patients.
The event was presided over by Director of Kurmitola General Hospital Md Saidur Rahman.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain Bokul said the presence of the Prime Minister’s spouse reflected a deep sense of responsibility. “Our Prime Minister wants to create a new polarisation of a politics of responsibility in the country,” he added.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon expressed hope that under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership, a rapid qualitative change will come to the medical sector. He drew a parallel with the late President Ziaur Rahman’s era, when agricultural reforms led to food self-sufficiency.
“If we can bring about such a rapid change in the fields of medicine and education, that will be the greatest success,” Swapon said.
Brigadier General Saidur Rahman, the hospital director, informed that the new ICU unit is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, trained personnel, and round-the-clock medical services, ensuring that critically ill patients will receive fast and quality treatment.
Among others who spoke at the event were State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muheet, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Health Affairs SM Ziauddin Haider, and senior officials from the health ministry and directorates.
