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Experts urge sustainable financing for hypertension control
They highlight funding gaps as hypertension-related deaths rise, urging greater investment in prevention and treatment
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 12 Nov 2026, 02:48 PM
Photo: Daily Sun
The burden of hypertension-related illnesses and premature deaths is rising at an alarming rate in Bangladesh, highlighting the need for increased and sustained investment in prevention and treatment.
In 2024, approximately 283,800 people died from cardiovascular diseases in the country, with hypertension accounting for 52% of these deaths. Despite an increase in the government’s health budget, ensuring adequate and sustained financing for hypertension control remains a major challenge. Experts say allocating a significant portion of the increased budget to hypertension control and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) could help reduce premature deaths.
The issues came to the fore at a journalists’ workshop titled “Sustainable Financing for Hypertension Control in Bangladesh: Progress, Barriers and the Way Forward” held at the BIP Conference Room in the capital on 11 November.
Research and advocacy organisation PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress) organised the workshop with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). A total of 25 journalists from print, television and online media attended the event.
Participants were told that approximately 570,263 people die from various NCDs in Bangladesh every year, accounting for nearly 71% of all deaths. Of these deaths, 19% are premature.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) Health and Morbidity Status Survey 2025, hypertension ranks first among the country's top 10 diseases. However, only 4.2% of the national health budget goes to NCD control, according to World Bank data.
The shortage of funding is disrupting the regular supply of free antihypertensive medicines at community clinics and NCD corners in upazila health complexes.
Dr Md Enamul Haque, Director General of the Health Economics Unit, said, “The allocation for the health sector has been increased from 5.3% to 7.4% in the current budget, which is commendable. It is now essential to allocate a portion of this increased budget to hypertension control.”
Zahirul Alam, Executive Director of a television channel, stressed the importance of sustained public awareness campaigns.
“Regular campaigns through the mass media and social media must continue to highlight the importance of sustainable financing for hypertension control,” he said.
Ezinne Ezekwem, Associate Director (Non-communicable Diseases) at GHAI; Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, Bangladesh Country Lead at GHAI; Mortuza Haider Liton, Convener of the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA); and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA, attended the workshop as discussants.
Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programmes at PROGGA, and Samiha Bintay Kamal, Programme Officer at PROGGA, delivered thematic presentations.