Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday called for mainstreaming the traditional medicine through a renewed focus on the age-old indigenous healthcare system alongside the conventional drugs as she inaugurated the National Health Service Week and National Nutrition Week 2019.

“We can’t neglect the treatment using herbal, ayurvedic, unani, and homeopathy medicines and should give more importance for their development to facilitate the people in getting treatment,” she told the ceremony this afternoon at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka, BSS reports.

The premier said by now Bangladesh achieved huge success in producing standard conventional drugs and creating their demands abroad while “traditional medicines has a great value” as well.

“The demand of herbal treatment is enormous across the globe,” she said and stressed the need for extensive research for the development of traditional medicine.

The Prime Minister distributed ambulances and jeeps purchased under public fund during 2017-2018 fiscal to facilitate emergency healthcare services to the people at grassroots to mark the health Service Week.

She reiterated her government’s commitment to reach healthcare services to peoples doorsteps pointing out the initiatives taken so far for the overall development in health sector.

Sheikh Hasina said setting up of community clinics across the country was a part of the commitment to bring all the people under healthcare services.

She said around 14000 such community clinics were currently rendering health care services to mothers and children and providing 30 different crucial medicines to the community free of cost.

She simultaneously regretted that such a basic health facility was closed down during the past BNP-Jamaat regime as it was initiated during Awami League’s 1996-2001 tenure in government.

The premier said a nationwide training programme was underway to develop skilled midwives to handle delivery cases.
She said the government also introduced and telemedicine services through call centers called “Sasthyo Batayan” exploiting the ICT.

The premier, however, said these initiatives were actually follow up services introduced by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman recalling that his post-independence government had set up 10-bed hospital at union level to reach healthcare services to the people’s doorsteps.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque presided over the function while State Minister Dr. Md Murad Hasan spoke on the occasion as the special guest.

Health Services Division secretary gave welcome address while representatives from World health Organisation (WHO) also spoke at the function.

A video documentary on country’s health services was also screened on the occasion.