Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Malek said, “This year, the cervical cancer vaccine program will be started for women from September this year. Initially it will be given to children aged 10 to 15 years. Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women today. As a result of this vaccine program, the incidence and death rate of uterine cancer in the country will decrease significantly.” This was said by the Health Minister in a meeting titled “What to do to increase primary health care across the country” in the meeting room of the Ministry of Health. In the meeting, various initiatives have been undertaken to improve the quality of healthcare across the country and extensive initiatives have been taken to improve the quality of healthcare in district, upazila hospitals as well as union level hospitals, said the health minister. Under the health protection program, through the universal health coverage project, 6 million people of the country’s 1.5 million poor families will be provided with free government medicines and health care medical supplies worth 50 thousand rupees, said the health minister. Health Minister Zahid Malek said in this context, “Difficult and very expensive diseases like cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis are increasing in the country at present. 67 percent of the country’s people are dying from these non-communicable diseases due to various reasons including adulterated food, uncontrolled life style, air pollution. The treatment cost of these diseases is very high. That is why the government has taken initiative to stand by the medical expenses of helpless and poor people. Initially 6 districts of the country have been brought under this universal health coverage. The districts are Kurigram, Manikganj, Barisal, Barguna, Laxmipur, Lalmonirhat and Dhaka North and South City Corporation. In the meeting, the health minister said that health awareness mini pocket health guide books have been given to school level students. Health Minister Zahdi Malek, MP also said that to strengthen the country’s primary health care, initially the health services of 500 health centers will be available 24 hours a day, 30 days a month instead of 8 hours a day. The secretary of the health service department at the meeting. Md. Anwar Hossain Howlader, Additional Secretary (Public Health Division) Syed Mojibul Haque, Additional Secretary (Administration Division) Md. Saidur Rahman, Additional Director General of Health Directorate Professor Dr. Ahmedul Kabir along with other joint secretary, directors were present.
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