The most serious flaw is inefficiency

Even if budget is increased, speakers at a conference yesterday stressed that no progress in the health sector can be made unless officials' inefficiency is addressed.

Ensure that all drugs and diagnostic services are available to all patients in public hospitals to lower their out-of-pocket payments. This may be accomplished, they declared at the "Health Budget Evaluation 2022-23" conference, by ensuring efficient use of the existing budgetary allocation for the health sector.

The talk was hosted on the Dhaka University campus by the Health Economics Study Alliance (HESA), a group of students from the Institute of Health Economics (IHE).

They did, however, emphasise that increasing health officials' administrative skills at all levels will have a long-term impact.

"Inefficiency is a serious problem in the medical field. A structure for identifying health workers eager to accept training to become good managers should be in place." Dr. Benazir Ahmed, the health directorate's previous director of disease control, spoke at the ceremony.

"Unless doctors are hired on a long-term basis rather than on a three-year contract, more doctors will be unsuccessful. In each union, they must be given a home, a dispensary, and other instruments ".

Dr. Benazir suggested that extensive budget planning be developed in at least a six-month partnership with health officials, academicians, and students prior to the budget to ensure the optimal use of the existing financial allotment.

Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, a Dhaka University development studies professor, opposes the formation of a health commission to reform the sector.

"My only wish is that everyone can see a doctor. This is more crucial than forming a commission or putting in place any other strategy." Dr. Rashed believes that

According to Syed Abdul Hamid, a DU-IHE professor, the budget increase of 12.64 percent is due to increment and inflation.

Rumana Haque, an economics professor at the University of Denver, has advocated for allocating 8% of the overall budget on healthcare.

The occasion, which was attended by IHE students and scholars, was presided over by IHE Director Prof Sharmin Mobin Bhuiyan.