Bangladesh loses $5b a year to overseas treatment
Bangladesh is losing around $5 billion every year as patients travel abroad for medical treatment, driven largely by a lack of trust in the domestic healthcare system, inaccurate diagnoses and weak service management, speakers said at a seminar in Dhaka on Saturday.
The findings were presented at a seminar titled “Building Trust in Bangladesh’s Healthcare Sector: Ensuring a Strategic Framework for Quality Control”, organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at its Motijheel office.
Presenting the keynote paper, United Hospital Managing Director Malik Talha Ismail Bari said Bangladeshi patients spend nearly $5 billion annually on overseas medical care, with India remaining the top destination.
He noted that around 52 per cent of Indian medical visas are issued to Bangladeshi patients and that, in 2024 alone, an estimated 4,82,000 Bangladeshis sought treatment in India.
Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia were cited as the next most preferred destinations.
The paper said a deep trust deficit among patients and their families is pushing people to seek care abroad. Key concerns include doubts over accurate diagnosis, sudden hikes in hospital bills, fear of hidden charges, counterfeit medicines and the use of substandard medical equipment.
Together, these issues have created a perception that treatment overseas is safer and more reliable.
The keynote highlighted several structural challenges undermining healthcare delivery in Bangladesh. Government health expenditure remains below 1 per cent of GDP, while patients bear about 73 per cent of total healthcare costs out of pocket. Health insurance coverage is extremely limited, with only 2.5 percent of the population insured.
Diagnostic capacity is also weak, with nearly 80 per cent of hospitals lacking advanced diagnostic equipment.
Although the private sector accounts for about 60 per cent of healthcare services, high treatment costs and inconsistent service quality remain major concerns.
Other factors forcing patients abroad include poor service quality, skill gaps among healthcare professionals, a shortage of specialist doctors and limited availability of advanced treatment options.
The paper also pointed to the absence of pre-fixed treatment costs, inadequate post-treatment care for complex diseases, lack of a unified health information system, weaknesses in monitoring and procurement processes, and overall low public confidence in the healthcare system.
Bangladesh’s public healthcare spending is the lowest in South Asia, with per capita expenditure at just Tk 1,070, the paper noted.
Nearly 49 per cent of the population still lacks access to quality healthcare, while existing government initiatives are insufficient to meet growing demand.
Despite these challenges, the keynote projected strong growth for the sector.
Bangladesh’s healthcare market is expected to reach $14 billion by 2025 and expand to around $23 billion by 2030-2033, nearly doubling in size.
The medical devices market is also growing rapidly and is projected to exceed $820 million in 2025, up from $442 million in 2020, largely driven by rising import demand.
DCCI said the sector’s growth presents significant opportunities for both economic development and improved health services, calling for increased public and private investment, stronger regulation and a focus on quality control to rebuild public trust.
The seminar was chaired by DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed, while Bangladesh Diabetic Association President National Professor AK Azad Khan attended as the chief guest.