The country's health sector has long been languishing due to chronic under-funding, weak governance and systemic inefficiencies, posing a formidable challenge to the new government as it seeks to honour its electoral commitments. Beyond fulfilling ambitious campaign pledges, the administration's foremost task is to revitalise a sector that has, in many respects, underperformed for years. Without bold reforms and sustained political will, meaningful progress will remain elusive. Health experts point out that years of underfunding, fragile stewardship and repeated service disruptions have left the system ill-equipped to meet rising and evolving demands. The burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular ailments and cancer has grown steadily, yet preventive and early detection programmes remain inadequate. Public hospitals frequently experience medicine supply disruptions, undermining patient trust and forcing many to seek costly private care. Chronic shortages of doctors, nurses and trained technicians - particularly in rural and remote areas - further weaken service delivery. Compounding these problems, insufficient and poorly prioritised funding has slowed the momentum of critical public health initiatives.
One of the most persistent concerns has been the Ministry of Health's inability to effectively implement the Annual Development Plan (ADP). Year after year, underutilisation of allocated funds and delays in project execution have hampered infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement and service upgrades. Given the centrality of ADP-funded projects to improving healthcare facilities and expanding access, such repeated underperformance raises serious questions about planning capacity, coordination and accountability within the ministry.
In its election manifesto, the BNP has pledged to pursue the vision of "Health for All" and move decisively towards universal health coverage. Among its headline promises, one is an increase in health expenditure to 5.0 per cent of GDP - a transformative target. Currently, however, health allocation in the FY2025-26 budget stands at only 0.67 per cent of GDP, far below the international benchmarks and insufficient to address mounting needs. Bridging this vast gap will require not only increased budgetary allocations but also improved financial management to ensure that funds are spent efficiently and transparently. The manifesto also outlines an ambitious expansion of primary healthcare infrastructure, proposing one primary healthcare unit in every rural union and at least one in each urban ward, along with modern secondary healthcare facilities in every district. It also promises the recruitment of 100,000 health workers, 80 per cent of them women, signalling a commitment to gender inclusion and grassroots service delivery. Strengthening maternal and child healthcare services is prioritised, recognising the endemic vulnerabilities in these areas. Additionally, public-private partnerships are envisaged for complex and high-cost treatments such as trauma care from road-traffic injuries, stroke management, cardiac care, renal failure and cancer treatment.
Given the enormity of existing challenges, a comprehensive overhaul of the sector is urgently required - one that strengthens governance, ensures timely medicine procurement, digitises health records and enhances monitoring mechanisms. Investments must be matched by reforms that promote accountability and curb wastage. If the government can align its ambitious vision with time-bound strategies, the long-neglected health sector may finally embark on a course of sustainable progress.
