TL;DR:
- Bangladesh faces a $4 billion annual healthcare exodus as citizens seek medical treatment abroad due to limited specialized care, lack of trust, and technological gaps in domestic facilities.
- With only 33,000 out of 134,000 doctors in public service and a per-capita health expenditure of $110 (compared to South Asia’s $401), the country struggles with severe healthcare resource limitations.
- Rural areas suffer from inadequate healthcare access while Dhaka’s facilities face overwhelming patient pressure, highlighting a significant urban-rural healthcare divide.
- Middle-income households increasingly seek foreign medical treatment, with Bangladesh contributing 50-60% of India’s medical tourism inflow, potentially facing a 10-15% decline in 2024.
Bangladeshi citizens are spending approximately $4 billion annually on medical treatment abroad, highlighting significant challenges in the country’s healthcare system. The substantial outflow of medical tourists primarily stems from limited specialized treatment options, lack of trust in local healthcare providers, and insufficient advanced technology within the country.
Malik Talha Ismail Bari, senior vice president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), revealed these findings during a seminar titled “Reversing the Outbound Healthcare Tourism” at DCCI. The healthcare infrastructure in Bangladesh currently includes 5,461 private hospitals and clinics, with 1,810 facilities concentrated in Dhaka division.
The country’s healthcare system faces multiple challenges, including a significant urban-rural divide in service quality. Rural areas particularly suffer from inadequate healthcare access, while medical facilities in Dhaka experience overwhelming patient pressure. Critical bottlenecks include limited infrastructure, shortage of skilled workforce, quality concerns, low doctor-patient ratio, and extended waiting periods.
In terms of healthcare funding, Bangladesh has allocated Tk 30,125 crore, representing 3.78 percent of its national budget, for public healthcare in fiscal year 2024-25. The per-capita health expenditure stands at $110, significantly lower than the South Asian average of $401.
National Professor AK Azad Khan emphasized the need for curriculum updates to incorporate technological advancements and called for strengthening the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BM&DC). The current doctor distribution shows a stark imbalance, with only 33,000 of the country’s 134,000 doctors serving in the public sector.
DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed noted that middle-income households increasingly seek treatment abroad due to lack of confidence in local healthcare services. He suggested that reversing this trend requires improving regional competitiveness, ensuring customer satisfaction, and enhancing the quality of medical services.
The situation could impact India’s medical tourism sector, as Bangladesh accounts for 50-60 percent of India’s medical tourism inflow. Industry experts predict that ongoing socio-political challenges could lead to a 10-15 percent decline in Bangladeshi medical tourists visiting India during 2024.
To address these challenges, experts recommend establishing quality hospitals in rural areas, simplifying registration processes for foreign medical professionals, and forming a dedicated health service commission to improve healthcare administration efficiency.
