Experts call for immediate action on health reform recommendations

Experts and stakeholders have urged the government to urgently translate the Health Reform Commission’s recommendations into a concrete, inclusive action agenda that reflects on-the-ground realities and addresses public expectations.

The call was made at a high-level consultation jointly organised by the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Forum, and UNICEF, held at a city hotel on Sunday.

The event was chaired and moderated by Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairman of PPRC and Convener of the UHC Forum.

Participants included current and former officials from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), members of the Health Reform Commission, public health experts, representatives from the private and non-government sectors, academia, and media professionals.

While acknowledging that the Health Reform Commission’s report represents an important milestone, participants emphasised the need to move swiftly from vision to execution. Speakers highlighted major challenges in implementation readiness, institutional clarity, and the need for sharper prioritisation to maintain reform momentum.

A recurring concern among participants was the gap between citizen expectations—particularly in areas such as maternal dignity, emergency services, and primary healthcare—and the current capabilities of the health delivery system.

It was also noted that, despite the report’s comprehensive proposals, it lacks a clearly defined results framework, baseline data, and measurable milestones required for effective, time-bound implementation.

In his remarks, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman cautioned against viewing the report as a final outcome.

“In a country like ours, nothing is linear. We must see the post-report phase as part of a democratic process,” he said.

He called for social validation and collective ownership of the reform process, urging the Health Reform Commission and civil society to jointly formulate a **Priority Action Agenda for 2025**, with particular focus on enacting legislation to establish primary healthcare as a constitutional right—one of the key recommendations in the Commission’s report.

Dr Rahman also proposed the establishment of a citizen-centred feedback and validation mechanism to ensure that user experience and community input remain central to the reform process.

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