Govt plans to open pharmacies at 700 hospitals

In a significant step to make essential medicines more accessible, the government has initiated plans to establish a nationwide pharmacy network, starting with 700 pharmacies at various public hospitals. Officials believe that this move, along with increased local production of essential drugs, will help reduce overall healthcare costs.

According to senior officials from the Ministry of Health, these pharmacies will be set up in 429 upazila hospitals, 59 district or sadar hospitals, 35 government medical colleges, and 21 specialized hospitals. Additionally, pharmacies will be run on lease in major cities and at other government healthcare facilities. All these outlets will operate 24/7, alongside the existing private pharmacies, increasing drug availability across the country.

The Health Ministry has already held several rounds of meetings with the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI), civil society groups, and government agencies. The proposal was also discussed in an advisory council meeting. Meanwhile, the Health Affairs Reform Commission has endorsed the plan and recommended establishing a nationwide pharmacy network, updating the essential drugs list, and boosting medicine supplies at public hospitals.

Bangladesh has one of the highest out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures globally, with around 70% of healthcare costs borne personally by citizens — two-thirds of which go toward medicines. Experts say bringing down medicine prices could significantly reduce treatment expenses.

Professor Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser of the interim government and a state minister-level official at the health ministry, said, “Many hospitals already have pharmacies which will be upgraded or expanded. New pharmacies will be built where none exist. Initially, we’re starting with 700.”

Standardizing Hospital Pharmacies

In its latest draft report, the Health Affairs Reform Commission stated that every government hospital and primary healthcare center should have a pharmacy stocked with essential medicines. These pharmacies should be run by registered pharmacists with formal degrees. The pharmacists will be responsible for providing medicines, offering guidance to patients, and ensuring rational drug use.

The pharmacies will remain open around the clock, serving both hospital patients and the public. All essential drugs will be provided free of cost to hospital patients. To prevent theft and ensure transparency, a digital monitoring system will be introduced to track distribution and forecast demand.

Drugs will be categorized into three types — free, subsidized, and those sold at competitive market prices. The commission referenced Sri Lanka’s state-run pharmacy model and Thailand’s integration of drug supply with universal health coverage, citing both as successful examples of reducing personal healthcare costs and improving medicine quality.

Health Affairs Reform Commission member Ahmed Ahsanur Rahman said, “Drug accessibility is a basic healthcare right. The government is working on a 24/7 pharmacy network to move away from the unregulated sale of medicine in groceries. Without timely access to drugs, universal health coverage is not possible.”

Updating the Essential Drugs List

Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL), the lone state-run pharmaceutical manufacturer, currently operates facilities in Dhaka, Bogura, Gopalganj, Khulna, and Madhupur in Tangail. EDCL supplies essential medicines free of cost to public hospitals and distributes birth control products through family planning programs.

To boost self-sufficiency, the commission has recommended short, medium, and long-term reforms. These include increasing capital investments, modernizing manufacturing facilities, enhancing quality control, and aligning production standards with global benchmarks. The government has already reshuffled top EDCL management and initiated factory upgrades.

The list of essential drugs, which last saw an update in 2016, currently includes 285 items — many of which are no longer manufactured. Work is underway to revise the list with the World Bank’s assistance, and the new list is expected to include over 300 items, focusing on prevalent diseases and adding modern treatments like cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure medicines.

Professor Sayedur Rahman confirmed that several meetings had been held and that a new list would be finalized soon.

The commission has also recommended that doctors be encouraged to prescribe generic drugs — at least for 20% of the costlier ones — to make treatments more affordable. Additionally, it advised reducing packaging and promotional expenses to lower overall drug prices.

However, industry insiders expressed concern over some of the commission’s suggestions. They warned that overregulation could stifle industry growth and hurt Bangladesh’s strong pharmaceutical reputation globally. With around 200,000 pharmacists working in the country, some experts also questioned the feasibility of managing the entire initiative through just 700 pharmacies.

BAPI Secretary General Zakir Hossain welcomed the move to strengthen EDCL but cautioned, “The government should avoid steps that might negatively impact the success of our pharmaceutical sector. All stakeholders should be consulted when updating the essential drugs list.”

Focus on Boosting API Production

Bangladesh still imports the majority of its Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), mainly from India and China, producing only 5% locally. The reform commission recommended offering government incentives to expand domestic API manufacturing — a move experts say is essential for securing the country’s pharmaceutical future.

SM Saifur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh API and Intermediaries Manufacturers Association, said, “We need policy support and incentives similar to what India and China offered to their API industries. We’ve received positive feedback after discussions with several government agencies including Bangladesh Bank and NBR.”