National health care ‘by-passing’ in Bangladesh: a comparative study

Using data from a survey of urban residents of Dhaka, Bangladesh, the phenomenon of by-passing national health care resources in favor of foreign ones has been analyzed. The results clearly suggest that the incidence of national health care by-passing is relatively widespread, particularly among the wealthy residents of Dhaka. The findings of this study show that the health care system in Bangladesh is costly, some specialized care is not available, and the quality of services obtained in foreign countries is perceived as better than what is available nationally. While complete prevention of national health care by-passing is not possible, improvement in health care services available within Bangladesh will help in decreasing the incidence of by-passing.