Medical biotechnology program of HPNSDP 2011-16 of Bangladesh Health Ministry

The Bangladesh government has undertaken a program on medical biotechnology through its 5-year long Health, Population & Nutrition Sector Development Program 2011-16 (HPNSDP 2011-16) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. This program is called "Medical Biotechnology (MBT) and is included in the Operational Plan "Health Information System & e-Health" of DGHS.

Background

The government has taken policy decisions for rapid deployment of medical biotechnology, to confront country’s future health, nutrition and livelihood challenges. The government constituted a National Taskforce on Biotechnology with Honorable Prime Minister as chair and adopted National Biotechnology Policy and several sector-specific National Biotechnology Guidelines including National Guidelines on Medical Biotechnology. The later has been published as government gazette and spells out MOHFW’s deliverables in next 25 years. In HPNSDP 2011-16, the medical biotechnology has been included as a regular program of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

5-year (2011-16) MBT implementation plan

Short and medium term

1. Establishment of Center for Medical Biotechnology;
2. Situation analysis and development of medical biotechnology plan;
3. Human resource development through sensitization/orientation training/workshops, updating medical curriculum with focus on medical biotechnology, improving medical biotechnology resources in medical libraries, introducing postgraduate and technologist courses, identifying and training career group for medical biotechnology gradually, orientation of the core group members and concerned officials on medical biotechnology;
4. Institutional capacity building through development of lab facilities, clinical services and epidemiological surveillance for medical biotechnology;
5. Creating R&D environment through supporting related research projects, opening Department of Medical Biotechnology in the National Institute of Biotechnology, establishment of a Center of Excellence for medical biotechnology, and appropriate communication programs with potential entrepreneurs of medical biotechnology; and
6. Creation of public awareness and regulatory system through conducting appropriate public awareness programs, and developing and enforcing standards, codes of practice and regulatory framework for medical biotechnology.

Long term

Conditions will be created to attain following long term ( Year 2030+) MBT goals:

1. Medical biotechnology initiatives and infrastructures at globally competitive level;
2. Medical biotechnology industries, laboratories and services capable to compete globally and keep pace with global development trends;
3. Production of high quality medical biotechnology products and services for local market as well as for export to the global market; and
4. A world-class higher education and research base to serve the rapidly growing medical biotechnology needs both in home and in abroad.