On 25 June 2025, ASTHA organised a review workshop at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) at Dhaka, on the Community Paramedic Service Guideline—set to define the scope of work, responsibilities, and regulatory boundaries of CPs. The meeting invited senior officials from the Primary Health Care (PHC) and Upazila Health Care (UHC) Unit of DGHS. It focused on finalising a service delivery guideline for Community Paramedics, which will serve as a reference for local public health officials. Once implemented, it will help the Civil Surgeon's office, Upazila Health & Family Planning Officers (UH&FPOs), and other field-level managers to effectively monitor, supervise, and guide CPs; ultimately improving the accessibility and quality of primary healthcare services in their respective areas.
Key Participants of the workshop were Dr. Abu Muhammad Zakir Hussain, Chairperson, Community Clinic Health Support Trust (CCHST), MoH&FW and Member of the Health Sector Reform Commission 2025; Dr. Syed Kamrul Islam, Director of Primary Health Care and Integrated Thana Health Complex (PHC & ITHC), DGHS; Dr. Muhammad Akram Ullah, Line Director, Upazila Health Care (UHC), DGHS, along with senior officials from UHC and PHC units of DGHS.
The guideline development journey has spanned multiple consultations. On 18 October 2023, ASTHA organised a national validation workshop involving public officials and training institute representatives. Subsequently, on 06 February 2025, officials from DGHS and DGFP joined a technical consultation that reviewed the draft guideline, examined certification processes, and addressed role boundaries. The input helped shape a revised draft that includes a tiered referral structure and strengthened accountability frameworks.
At the latest meeting on 25 June 2025, officials reviewed the existing service guideline and discussed the importance of government institutionalisation to support the CP programme. A key decision was to share the approved version of the CP Service Guideline with the Civil Surgeon and the UH&FPO by the DGHS and Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), marking a formal endorsement that can facilitate wider acceptance, as well as the monitoring and supervision of CP services at the local level.
Reflecting on the collective effort, Dr. Abu Muhammad Zakir Hussain stated: “The Community Paramedic Service Guideline is a critical step toward strengthening primary healthcare. Our collective efforts will ensure its effective integration into the national health system.”
The CP Service Guideline was developed by ASTHA to improve access to quality and affordable healthcare in rural communities. By promoting private-public collaboration and aligning national policies with the healthcare service delivery model, the guideline provides a roadmap for formalising an essential cadre of primary healthcare workers, strengthening Bangladesh’s efforts towards achieving universal health coverage.