Ensuring primary healthcare for the country’s people and delivering the highest standard of medical services is the government’s goal, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain said.
He made the remarks as chief guest at a discussion session on “Expanding Primary Healthcare in Urban Areas” at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (July 9). At the national dissemination workshop organized by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), evidence-based outcomes, implementation experiences and lessons learned from the “Alo Clinic” model were presented. The workshop noted that these experiences would help shape the government’s future plans to further strengthen primary healthcare in urban areas.
The health minister said the current government is working to improve healthcare quality at the upazila level. As part of that effort, kidney dialysis services are being introduced at the upazila level.
He said the government is working effectively to improve public health services with the cooperation of various international organizations, development partners and donor agencies. Healthcare services are being expanded so that no one dies from lack of treatment. Ambulance services will be expanded to quickly transport patients in remote areas to advanced treatment centers.
At the event, chaired by DGHS Director General Dr. Provat Chandra Biswas, Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks and UNICEF Deputy Representative Emmanuel Abriou spoke.
The workshop noted that although the urban population is growing rapidly, many children and families still lack access to affordable, quality healthcare. In this context, six “Alo Clinics” established since 2021 in Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Gazipur and Narayanganj have been providing free, integrated and fully digital primary healthcare under the National Essential Services Package.
The Alo Clinics provide various types of primary healthcare, including maternal, newborn and child care, immunization, nutrition screening, diagnosis and treatment. On average, 168 patients receive these services daily. Additionally, four clinics operate round-the-clock midwife-led normal delivery centers. Since January 2025, they have provided more than 1,000 safe deliveries.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report