Struggling to serve 16cr people: Health minister

The government is struggling to provide regular healthcare to over 16 crore people in the country, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque in a discussion meeting held on the occasion of World Population Day-2022 at the Directorate of Family Planning on Thursday.

"There are 10-15 doctors available for every 10,000 people in our country whereas the number of available doctors is 25-30 in neighbouring countries," he said.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, we need more doctors. Even the beds in the hospitals are insufficient compared to the required quantity."

"The current population of Bangladesh is about 16.5 million or a bit more. Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. 3 million babies are born every year. About 2 million people have to be given employment every year. The government has to ensure these citizen facilities, which is not easy," he added.

"The problems and approaches to solutions are not the same in all countries. Our major challenge is to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens. But it will not be possible if the population increases. There needs to be a balance between wealth and population. 

"As the population increases, agricultural land will decrease. It will create adverse effects in other sectors, including education, health, and employment," Zahid Maleque further added.

"Child marriage should be prevented. Maternal and infant mortality should be further reduced. More importance should be given to family planning," the minister concluded.