Which public healthcare facility is a suitable first contact for preventive care or common complaints in Bangladesh?

In rural areas, a Community Clinic, Union Health & Family Welfare Centre, or Upazila Health Complex is usually suitable. In cities, public outpatient facilities, City Corporations and municipalities, as well as private or nonprofit providers, are additional options.

Which vaccinations are included in the EPI vaccination programme in Bangladesh during the first year of life?

BCG may be given at birth; at six, ten, and fourteen weeks, Penta, OPV, and PCV vaccinations follow, along with IPV at fourteen weeks. PCV-3 follows at eighteen weeks and MR-1 at nine months.

How does referral between healthcare facilities work in Bangladesh?

A common pathway leads from the Community Clinic or Union Health & Family Welfare Centre to the Upazila Health Complex and, when a higher level of care is needed, to the District Hospital, Medical College, or Specialized Hospital. The specific pathway depends on the complaint, capacity, and the rules of the relevant facility.

Health in Bangladesh

Q: Which number provides medical advice and information about public healthcare facilities in Bangladesh?

Health Batayan is available around the clock at 16263 and provides medical advice as well as information about public hospitals, doctors, and outpatient services. The free emergency number 999 is available around the clock for severe or unclear acute emergencies.

Q: What should people consider when obtaining medicines in Bangladesh?

A licensed or accredited Model Pharmacy or Model Medicine Shop is preferable to informal providers. The packaging, expiry date, and consistency with the prescription should be checked; the qualifications of medical professionals can be checked through the BMDC.

Q: Where can people in Bangladesh receive help with mental health concerns?

Mental health concerns are increasingly identified and treated in community-based facilities, Upazila Health Complexes, and District Hospitals; referral is provided when necessary. In case of immediate danger to oneself or others, contact 999.

The healthcare system in Bangladesh combines public health services with private, nonprofit, and informal providers, but access varies by area and facility. Community Clinics, Union Health & Family Welfare Centres, and Upazila Health Complexes offer prevention, primary care, family planning, and referrals depending on the location. For vaccinations, medicines, emergencies, and follow-up care, the specific location, available capacity, opening hours, and referral pathway are important.

byNusrat&Rahim

The formal healthcare system in Bangladesh is primarily supported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP). Private facilities, nongovernmental organizations, and informal providers also operate alongside them. Availability, opening hours, referrals, medicine stocks, and fees vary by Division, District, Upazila, and facility. A community primary-care clinic (Community Clinic) is usually the first level of primary healthcare in rural areas and serves approximately 12,000 people. Other public facilities include the union health and family welfare centre (Union Health & Family Welfare Centre), the subdistrict health complex (Upazila Health Complex), District Hospitals, Medical Colleges, and Specialized Hospitals. Maternal and Child Welfare Centres (MCWCs) and Satellite Clinics provide additional maternal and child health and family-planning services. In cities, access is provided through City Corporations, municipalities, public outpatient facilities, private clinics, and NGO services, among others. Preventive healthcare includes vaccinations, health education, nutrition services, antenatal and postnatal care, family planning, and screening for noncommunicable diseases. The national Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) may provide BCG at birth. At six weeks, Penta-1, OPV-1, and PCV-1 follow; at ten weeks, Penta-2, OPV-2, and PCV-2; at fourteen weeks, Penta-3, OPV-3, and IPV; at eighteen weeks, PCV-3; and at nine and fifteen months, MR-1 and MR-2. Health Assistants and Family Welfare Assistants also reach families through education, home visits, and vaccination campaigns. Family-planning services are available through home visits, Satellite Clinics, Community Clinics, UH&FWCs, Upazila Health Complexes, and Family Planning Offices. Selected UH&FWCs, MCWCs, and Upazila Family Planning Clinics provide normal deliveries around the clock. Healthcare is generally open to the population, but individual facilities may require local registration or proof of identity, specific referrals, or admission subject to available capacity. There is no single nationwide access point. The DGHS Facility Registry helps people find facilities. Health Batayan at 16263 provides medical advice around the clock as well as information about public hospitals, doctors, and outpatient services. For severe or unclear acute complaints, go directly to an emergency department or use the nationwide free emergency number 999. A common care pathway leads from the Community Clinic or UH&FWC to the Upazila Health Complex and, when a higher level of care is needed, to a District Hospital, Medical College, or Specialized Hospital. The responsible facility determines the referral pathway based on the complaint, examination, and available treatment capacity. For medicines, the provider should preferably operate a licensed or accredited Model Pharmacy or Model Medicine Shop. The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) monitors the market; medicines are regulated under the Drug and Cosmetics Act 2023. The packaging, expiry date, and consistency with the prescribed treatment should be checked. Adverse drug or vaccine reactions can be reported through DGDA PViMS or the AEFI reporting system. For informal providers, professional qualifications can be checked through the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC). Patients should fully report symptoms, allergies, and medicines already taken, keep prescriptions, referrals, and vaccination records, and attend agreed follow-up appointments. Under the BMDC's ethical guidelines, autonomy, dignity, privacy, and confidentiality are part of treatment. For telemedicine, consent and data protection should be clarified. After discharge or referral, a written follow-up plan, an appointment, and a clarified supply of long-term medicines are helpful, especially for chronic diseases. The availability of follow-up care and medicine stocks remains locally variable. Mental health concerns are increasingly identified, treated, and referred when necessary in primary healthcare, Upazila Health Complexes, and District Hospitals under the mhGAP approach. Specialized staff are often unavailable. In 2025, more than 20,000 such consultations had already been recorded. In case of immediate danger to oneself or others, contact 999. Many family-planning services are offered free of charge under the DGFP Citizen Charter, although officially set fees may still apply. Private treatment and diagnostic services have no uniform prices. Because households pay directly for a large share of healthcare spending, the price, scope of an examination, medicine availability, and possible need for referral should be clarified before treatment.

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