Sangsad Bhaban: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the steps taken by the present government have helped achieving substantial progress in different areas of the health sector in the last four years.

She said the measure helped declining population growth rate, improving child and mother mortality rate and increasing life expectancy of people.

In her written reply to a question from female member Shahin Monwara Haq in the House Wednesday, the Prime Minister said, population growth rate decreased to 1.37 percent from 1.41 percent in 2008.

Mortality rate of children under five years has declined to 43 in every 1000 this year from 53 in 2007 while maternal mortality rate also declined to 194 in every one hundred thousand which was 320 in 2001.

She said the life expectancy of people increased to 67.7 years over the last four years which was 65 years in 2008.

Leader of the House said in pursuit of constitutional guarantee to ensure healthcare service for every citizen, the present government has taken many epoch making steps to reach the service to their doorstep.

In this view, she said the National Health Policy has been framed along with development of medical service infrastructure across the country.

She said the present government has opened 12,217 community clinics in the country where 13,240 community healthcare service providers were appointed. The clinics dispensed service to around 12 crore people over the last four years, she said.

She said 136 upazila hospitals were upgraded to 50 beds from 31 beds while the number of beds in the medical college hospitals and district level hospitals has been raised.

The Prime Minister said a-500 bed hospital has been constructed at Kurmitola in Dhaka and a 300-bed Institute of Neuroscience at Agargaon.

Sheikh Hasina said ambulances were given to 267 hospitals in the country during the last four years of the present government including 10 water-ambulance for remote haor areas.

She said e-health service has been introduced at all district and upazila level hospitals which is being provided to people free of cost.

Telemedicine service is being provided in eight hospitals from where rural people are getting consultancy service from specialized physicians, she said.

The Prime Minister said four medical colleges were established at Kishoreganj, Gopalganj, Satkhira and Kustiya while four institute of health technology in different parts of the country.

She said 12 newly established nursing institutes have launched academic activities and seven nursing institutes were upgraded to colleges.

Sheikh Hasina said medicine of around 100 categories including life saving drugs are being provided to people free of cost and an international standard national food safety laboratory was set up at Public Health Institute at Mohakhali.

A 500-bed general hospital constructed at city's Khilgaon are will be inaugurated very soon, she said.

Ends/AMA/13/02/13