DHAKA: Finance Minister AMA Muhith started presenting the annual budget of Tk 250,506 crore for fiscal year 2014-15 at the parliament on Thursday afternoon where he showed his concern in health section.

A total of Tk 11,146 crore allocation has been proposed for the heath and welfare sector, including (development and non development budget combined) in the proposed budget for 2014-15 Fiscal Year.

He also mentioned about the recognized initiatives that already have taken earlier. 

Muhith said, “Earlier we took an initiative to build 13 thousand and 500 community clinics, one each for every six thousand people, with a view to extending the health care facilities to the grass root level. As of now, service delivery has begun at 12 thousand and 557 community clinics while 943 clinics are still under construction.”

He also said that our ultimate goal is to reduce maternal mortality rate down to 143 per lakh live births. Although our progress in reducing child mortality rate is satisfactory, we want to bring it down further.

We will deliver maternal health care services through these clinics, he added.

“We are aiming at raising average life expectancy to 72 years by 2021. At the same time, we will be trying to provide easy access to reproductive health service delivery system to reduce the birth rate”, he added.

He also hoped the expansion of medical education and assurance that the standard of education is maintained. In order to fulfill that objective, attempts will be made to enhance the skill of healthcare institutions and healthcare regulatory agencies.

He further said that the development of Homeopathic, Unani and Ayurvedic medicines will be made sure. National Drug Policy, 2005 is at the final stage of updating. We are also working to modernize the drug testing laboratory, he added.

BDST: 1730 HRS, JUN 05, 2014