Published: 12:47 AM, 10 July 2026
'Ensuring primary healthcare government's top priority'
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain on Thursday said the government's goal is to ensure primary healthcare for the people of the country and provide the highest standard of healthcare services.
"The current government is working to improve healthcare services at the upazila level across the country. It is also working effectively to enhance the quality of public healthcare services with the support of various international organisations, development partners and donor agencies. Kidney dialysis services being introduced at upazila level," he said.
The minister made the remarks at a discussion on expanding primary healthcare services in urban areas, held at a hotel in the capital on Thursday morning, BSS reports.
At the function organised by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the evidence-based outcomes, implementation experiences and lessons learned from the 'Alo Clinic' model were presented. The findings are expected to help guide the government's future initiatives aimed at strengthening primary healthcare services in urban areas.
Stressing that no one should die for lack of medical treatment, the minister said the scope of healthcare services is being expanded across the country. He added that ambulance services would be extended to ensure that patients from all remote and hard-to-reach areas can be transported to advanced healthcare facilities for better treatment.
Presided over by DGHS Director General Dr Pravath Chandra Biswas, the discussion was addressed by Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks and UNICEF deputy country representative Emmanuelle Abrew.
The programme was told that since 2021, six Alo Clinics established in Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Gazipur and Narayanganj have been providing free, integrated and fully digital primary healthcare services under the national Essential Services Package (ESP++). Under the Alo Clinic model, a wide range of primary healthcare services is provided, including maternal, newborn and child healthcare, immunisation, nutrition screening, disease diagnosis and treatment. On average, 168 patients receive services at the clinics each day.
Four of the clinics operate 24/7 midwife-led normal delivery centres, where more than 1,000 safe deliveries have been carried out since January 2025.
The Alo Clinic model was developed and implemented by UNICEF in partnership with the Bangladesh government, with financial support from the Government of Sweden.
