Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government has made healthcare services more affordable and reached it at every doorstep alongside making Bangladesh almost self-reliant in treating cardiovascular diseases, reports BSS.

She said, "Bangladesh is now almost self-reliant in treating heart diseases. It has the ability of treating 95 to 98 per cent cardiovascular diseases and the country has efficient manpower, modern technology and required equipment to this end."

Cardiovascular diseases are one of the main reasons of the people's death across the globe referring to 17.9 million people's death every year in the heart diseases.

Sheikh Hasina said almost 27 per cent deaths have occurred in Bangladesh due to heart related diseases while 10 children are now suffering from heart diseases in every one thousand while one young man is at risk of cardiovascular diseases in every five youths.

The numbers of patients with heart diseases have increased due to food habits, lack of physical exercise, smoking, and diabetes, she continued.

"We have to focus on preventive measures alongside upgrading the treatment facilities for the heart patients."

Briefly describing her government's measures for the overall development of the health sector, she said remarkable progress has been made in the health sector in the last 14 hours despite having various limitations.

Hasina said as many as 600 hospitals have so far been built across the country alongside setting up 11 postgraduate super speciality hospitals, cardiovascular hospital, chest disease hospital, cancer hospital, neuroscience hospital and others.

"We have established 18500 community clinics and union health centres to ensure primary healthcare of the village people. Thirty types of medicines have been distributed from the hospitals free of costs," she said.

Tele-medicine services have been introduced in 43 hospitals across the country whereas there are 30,000 satellite clinics across the country to ensure healthcare of the mother and children, she said.

Besides, she said that there are 103 service centres to give free treatment to five lakh autistic children.

 "The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Bangladesh free from polio and tetanus (dhonustonkar) free country due to our tireless efforts," she said.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul