Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal has proposed an increased allocation for the health and family welfare sector in the budget proposed for the fiscal year 2020-21, giving priority to activities undertaken to combat the Covid-10 pandemic.
While presenting the budget in parliament on Thursday afternoon, the finance minister proposed an allocation of Tk 292.47 billion (Tk 29,247 crore) for the Health Services Division and the Health Education and Family Welfare Division in the budget proposed for the fiscal year 2020-21, which is up by 13.7 per cent from the outgoing fiscal’s Tk 257.32 billion (Tk 25,732 crore).
“It is worth mentioning that currently 13 ministries and divisions are implementing programs related to health and family welfare. The allocation for this purpose in FY 2020-21 is Tk. 41,027 crore, which is 1.3 per cent of GDP and 7.2 per cent of total budget allocations,” he said.
In his budget speech, Mr Kamal proposed a Tk 100-billion lumpsum be earmarked for fulfilling emergency requirements in the health sector.
“We have taken all out measures to improve the health sector. To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, we are implementing different progrms worth Tk. 5,500 crore under the Health Services Division,” he said, adding, “The government will do whatever is required to be done to address the pandemic.”
In financing the activities for the development of research in health-education and science and technology, the finance minister also proposed to form an ‘Integrated Health-Science Research and Development Fund’ of Tk 1.0 billion.
“A high-powered committee consisting of experienced researchers in the health sector, nutritionists, public health experts, sociologists, economists, environmentalists, civil society and other suitable representatives will be formed to manage this Fund efficiently and effectively,” he said.
Bangladesh, now the 19th worst global Covid-19 hotspot, has been facing a health crisis like no other since number of Covid-19 cases continue to increase in the country with the health sector being overwhelmed by the crisis.