Bangladesh and EIB plan €250m investment in women’s healthcare

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Bangladesh and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have launched a €250 million initiative to improve healthcare for women and adolescent girls and strengthen the country’s healthcare system between 2027 and 2031.

The programme, titled ‘Women’s Health Initiative’, aims to reach around 47 million women and adolescent girls. It was unveiled at a meeting at the Bangladesh Embassy in Berlin on Saturday, held alongside the World Health Summit 2026.

The Bangladeshi delegation was led by Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain and Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Health Dr Ziauddin Hyder.

The initiative will expand maternal and newborn care, cervical and breast cancer treatment, emergency obstetric services, primary healthcare and critical care. It will also improve district hospitals, patient referral and transfer systems, and preparedness for pandemics and other health emergencies.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said safeguarding the health of women and adolescent girls was essential to Bangladesh’s future. He added that cooperation with the EIB and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) would support the government’s efforts to ensure quality healthcare with greater emphasis on disease prevention.

Dr Ziauddin Hyder said the investment would help shift the healthcare system from a treatment-focused approach towards prevention and health promotion. EIB Vice-President Marek Mora said investment in women’s health would strengthen families and communities while supporting sustainable economic development.

UNFPA and its ‘WomenX Collective’ programme helped develop the initiative and will provide technical support during implementation. UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita said the programme would help address the longstanding funding gap in women’s healthcare and improve services for millions.

As part of wider health-sector reforms, Bangladesh has pledged to gradually raise public health spending from 1% to 5% of GDP. The government also plans to recruit 100,000 community health workers, with women accounting for 80%, and appoint 25,000 professional midwives at government healthcare facilities.

UNFPA is seeking at least €25 million in grant funding for technical assistance, with support also coming from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and private-sector partners.

The government is scheduled to present the initiative at a panel discussion at the World Health Summit in Berlin on Sunday.

The EIB is the European Union’s financing institution, owned by its 27 member states. UNFPA, the UN agency for sexual and reproductive health, has partnered with Bangladesh since 1974.