DHAKA, May 9, 2024 (BSS) - Health experts at a workshop today laid emphasis 
on taking health promotion programmes to prevent deaths caused by Non-
Communicable Diseases (NCDs) 

"The numbers of patients suffering from Non-Communicable Disease (NCDs) are 
increasing alarmingly in the country due to unhealthy lifestyle," he told the 
workshop titled: "Health Promotion in healthcare promotion: Bangladesh 
Perspective" here.

The workshop was organised by research and advocacy organisation PROGGA 
(Knowledge for Progress), a press release said. 

According to the health experts, 70 percent of deaths in the country are now 
attributed to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including heart diseases, 
cancer and diabetes and kidney ailment. 

NCDs, such as heart diseases, stroke, cancer, kidney diseases, respiratory 
diseases, diabetes, and hypertension are the most prevalent causes of death 
in Bangladesh and account for 70 percent of the total deaths, they added, 
 
While addressing the workshop, eminent economist Professor Dr. Qazi 
Khaliquzzaman Ahmad said the government is collecting Taka 300 crore as 
surcharge for healthcare development. 

This collected money is not being spent for healthcare purposes of the 
people, he said, adding that an independent health promotion institution 
should be established to spend the money as surcharge to provide healthcare 
support to the people. 
 
At the workshop, Dr. Md. Enamul Haque, director general (Additional 
Secretary) of Health Economics Unit said different public-run organisations 
have been implementing healthcare promotion programmes. 

He stressed the need for taking concerted efforts to support the people for 
improving their healthcare services.
 
Other speakers said the World Health Organization recommends countries to 
allocate at least 15 percent of their total budget to the health sector. 

The health budget has remained within five percent over the past few years, 
they said, adding that it is necessary to increase the budgetary allocation 
to combat the NCD-linked diseases. 

The speakers said: "Many lives can be saved and the risk of serious non-
communicable diseases such as heart attacks and strokes can be reduced to a 
great extent by allocating necessary funding to ensure availability of anti-
hypertensive medicines in community clinics alone." 

Executive Director of PROGGA ABM Zubair, healthcare professionals and 
officials of different relevant organisations, among others, addressed the 
workshop while head of the programme of the PROGGA Hasan Shahriar placed the 
keynote paper.