An estimated 562 to 777 people die of heart disease in Bangladesh every day, while around 2,720 new cases are recorded daily, highlighting growing pressure on the country’s healthcare system.
According to data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, around 9.93 lakh people in Bangladesh develop heart disease each year. An estimated 10.26 million people are currently living with some form of heart disease.
Despite the large patient burden, many government medical colleges lack adequate cardiology specialists. In some facilities, catheterisation laboratories (cath labs) are available but remain out of service, while others lack trained personnel to operate the equipment.
The situation has created challenges in cardiac treatment, specialised training and emergency care, forcing patients from across the country to depend heavily on hospitals in Dhaka. This increases treatment costs and can be critical for emergency patients who may not survive the journey to the capital.
The country is observing World Heart Day along with the rest of the world. This year’s theme is “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and various studies, more than 200,000 people die from heart disease in Bangladesh each year.
Professor Dr Nazmul Hossain, a cardiologist and Director General of the Directorate General of Medical Education, said heart disease accounts for about one-third of deaths caused by non-communicable diseases in Bangladesh.
He said although cardiac treatment in the country had made significant progress over the past three decades, around 90% of the development remained concentrated in Dhaka, while about 90% of patients live outside the capital. He stressed the need to expand modern cardiac treatment facilities across the country.
Experts identify high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets, excessive salt and fat consumption, and physical inactivity as major risk factors for heart disease.
The shortage of specialists is also affecting medical education. Many government medical colleges reportedly lack the required number of cardiology professors and associate professors, making it difficult to provide adequate patient care and run postgraduate training programmes.
The shortage of functioning cath labs has further compounded the problem. Sources said cath labs at Dhaka Medical College, Mugda Medical College, Barishal Medical College and Faridpur Medical College are currently out of service. One of the two cath labs at Bogura Medical College is reportedly non-functional, while a cath lab in Chattogram is also out of service. The cath lab in Rangpur reportedly faces recurring equipment problems.
An academic said changes in the public healthcare system after August 5, 2024, had also affected cardiac services and postgraduate training in some institutions. According to him, the reassignment or departure of experienced specialists has created shortages at several medical colleges.
Experts say Bangladesh provides treatment for at least 11 major types of heart disease, with ischemic heart disease being among the most common. Other conditions include cardiomyopathy and myocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, valvular heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, atrial fibrillation, endocarditis, aortic aneurysm, pulmonary arterial hypertension, lower-extremity peripheral arterial disease and congenital heart disease.
The WHO has also warned of a significant cardiovascular disease burden across Southeast Asia. The organisation says eight people die from heart disease every minute in the region, with nearly half of the deaths occurring before the age of 70.
Experts say addressing the crisis requires more than expanding specialised hospitals. They recommend strengthening primary healthcare to detect and control hypertension and diabetes, ensuring access to essential medicines, increasing the number of trained specialists, keeping cath labs operational and ensuring adequate cardiology staff at medical colleges.
They also stressed stronger tobacco control, reduced salt consumption and measures to limit unhealthy food products as essential components of a long-term strategy to reduce the country’s cardiovascular disease burden.
