Health budget will not yield results without effective measures against tobacco and drugs: Health Minister

Even if a record amount of allocation is made to the health sector, it will be difficult to get the desired results if the spread of tobacco and drugs is not prevented, Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain has said.

Speaking at a program organized at the International Mother Language Institute on Monday to mark World No Tobacco Day, he said that only increasing the budget is not enough to protect public health; at the same time, effective initiatives must be taken to reduce tobacco and drug addiction.

The minister said that every year a large number of people are affected by various tobacco-related diseases. The cost of treating these diseases is putting a huge pressure on the country's health system. According to him, much more money has to be spent on combating the health risks caused by it compared to the revenue earned from tobacco.

He also said that awareness raising, implementation of the Tobacco Control Act and anti-drug activities must be further strengthened to build a healthy population.

Responding to a question from reporters after the event, the Health Minister said that the various initiatives taken by the government to control measles in the country are yielding positive results and the situation has come under control to a greater extent than before.

Public health experts believe that increasing allocations to the health sector along with emphasizing preventive measures can bring about more positive changes in the country's healthcare system.