Nilphamari, September 17, 2025: One in every 4 people in the country is suffering from high blood pressure. Most people are unable to control the disease after being diagnosed with high blood pressure. Although free medicines for this disease have been started in community clinics and upazila health complexes, there is a shortage in the supply of medicines due to lack of sustainable funding and other reasons. To address the crisis, it is important to ensure the availability of high blood pressure medicines at all health service centers at the marginal level.
This information was shared at a journalist workshop titled 'High Blood Pressure Control in Bangladesh: Progress, Obstacles and Doables' on Wednesday at around 11 am. The virtual workshop was organized by the non-governmental development organization Pragya (Knowledge for Progress) in collaboration with the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). 30 journalists from print, electronic and online media in Rangpur division participated in the workshop.
Speakers at the workshop claimed that high blood pressure is one of the three leading causes of death and disability in Bangladesh.
To effectively reduce this disease, the government needs to increase its budget for non-communicable diseases, in addition to ensuring the supply of medicines to all community clinics and upazila health complexes.
The workshop was informed that 35 government departments recently signed a 'Joint Declaration' to enhance inter-ministerial cooperation to take and implement integrated initiatives to prevent and control non-communicable diseases. In addition, a report by the Health Sector Reform Commission recommended free provision of essential medicines at the primary health care level.
The workshop was chaired by Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Country Lead of GHAI Bangladesh, and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of the non-governmental organization Progga. Thematic presentations were given by Progga Director Md. Shahedul Alam and Coordinator Sadia Galiba Probha.
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