Find Health and Medical expertise in Bangladesh

In the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, public and private health facilities are scarce. BRAC, the country’s largest non-governmental organisation (NGO), fulfils a significant proportion of the country’s health care delivery. The Bangladesh Medical College and Hospital, United Hospital and Kumudini Hospital are among the largest private hospitals in Bangladesh. Outside of Dhaka, health facilities become even scarcer. The country nonetheless has a burgeoning pharmaceutical manufacturing industry, which, in addition to fulfilling most of the local demand, also caters for international markets.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for an estimated 59% of all mortality in Bangladesh in 2012. The most prevalent NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, which accounted for 17% of total deaths across all age groups in 2012. Non-communicable variants of respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes contributed 11%, 10% and 3% to total mortality, respectively (2012). Communicable diseases along with maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions accounted for an estimated 32% of all mortality in 2008. Prevalence of HIV in Bangladesh, as a percentage of people aged 15–49 years, is below 0.1% (2012).

Government expenditure

In 2013 government expenditure on health was 1% of GDP. In 2011 there were 36 doctors, and 22 nurses and midwives per 100,000 people. Additionally, in the period 2007–11, 31% of births were attended by qualified health staff and in 2011, 93% of one-year-olds were immunised with one dose of measles. In 2014 the UN estimated that 86% of the people were using an improved drinking water source and 60% had access to adequate sanitation facilities. Bangladesh has maintained a high level of immunisation coverage against diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and measles, with 93% of one-year-olds in 2013 immunised with one dose of measles. In 2007 the country had six pharmaceutical personnel per 100,000 people.

Roughly two-thirds of health care in Bangladesh (66%) was paid for by patients or funded by other non-governmental entities – such as private insurers, charities or employers – in 2012. Total health expenditure constituted 3.6% of GDP in 2012, of which 34% was covered by the government.

Bangladesh was not an original signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, but acceded to it in 1998 and has written the covenant into law. It includes ‘the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’. The covenant commits signees to providing healthy and hygienic environmental conditions, controlling epidemic diseases, improving child health and facilitating access to health services without discrimination.

Health and Medical organisations in Bangladesh
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
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