Bangladesh has outlined a potential $1.4 billion financing roadmap to strengthen its healthcare system against the growing threats of climate change, including extreme heat, climate-sensitive diseases, unsafe water and natural disasters.
The proposed funding would support the country’s Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) for 2026–2031, which requires approximately Tk17,000 crore to improve the health sector’s preparedness for climate-related risks, according to a study by BRAC University’s Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research (C3ER).
Released at BRAC Centre in Dhaka on Saturday, the study identifies potential funding sources, investment priorities and institutional reforms needed to implement the plan. The proposed financing remains a target rather than a confirmed commitment.
Prof Iqbal Kabir, director of the Centre for Climate Change and Public Health, said the funding would be essential to implement the adaptation plan and reduce the adverse health impacts of climate change.
Ainun Nishat, emeritus professor at BRAC University and adviser to C3ER, stressed the importance of integrating climate-related health risks into national development planning and public financing.
He called for clearly defined ministerial responsibilities, dedicated budget allocations and greater access to international adaptation finance, particularly grants, to protect vulnerable communities.
Domestic financing to cover more than half of requirements
The study proposes mobilising $380 million from domestic public financing, $360 million through health-related investments in other sectors, $520 million from development partners and $140 million from international climate-finance mechanisms.
Domestic resources could be channelled through health-sector budgets, the Annual Development Programme (ADP) and the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund.
The government could also incorporate climate-resilience measures into public development projects to strengthen healthcare facilities, prepare medical personnel and protect essential medical supply chains from climate-related disruptions.
Investments in drainage, sanitation, safe water and flood-resilient infrastructure could further reduce disease risks and maintain healthcare access, particularly in coastal and flood-prone areas.
Combined domestic public financing and health-related investments in other sectors could cover approximately 53% of the plan’s total funding requirements.
However, the study recommends transparent financial accounting to identify expenditure directly attributable to climate-related health interventions and prevent double-counting across funding sources.
Development partners and global climate funds in focus
Development partners could contribute a proposed $520 million, equivalent to around 37% of the total financing target.
Potential opportunities include aligning programmes supported by the World Bank, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund with the HNAP’s investment priorities.
Priority areas include climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure, disease surveillance, maternal and child health, nutrition and emergency preparedness. Financing could include concessional loans and programme support, subject to negotiations and existing commitments.
The study also identifies the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund and Least Developed Countries Fund as potential sources of international climate finance.
Bangladesh could prepare targeted proposals for disease early-warning systems, heat-health advisories, climate-vulnerability assessments and adaptation measures in coastal and flood-prone communities.
Ahead of COP31, the proposed roadmap could help the country present more focused investment proposals to development partners and international climate-finance institutions.
The study particularly emphasises grant financing for prevention and preparedness measures that generate substantial public-health benefits but do not produce direct financial returns.
Further project preparation and negotiations would be required to establish the availability of grants and co-financing under the proposed $140 million international climate-finance target.
Four priorities account for 69% of planned investment
Four major components account for $966 million, or approximately 69% of the HNAP’s investment framework.
The proposed allocations are:
- $350 million: Resilient, low-carbon infrastructure, technologies and supply chains.
- $266 million: Integrated risk monitoring, early-warning systems and emissions tracking.
- $210 million: Development of a climate-smart health workforce.
- $140 million: Leadership and governance.
Proposed interventions include upgrading healthcare facilities exposed to flooding and coastal hazards, installing solar power systems and strengthening vaccine cold chains to keep essential health services operational during disasters.
Integrating meteorological information with disease-surveillance systems could improve outbreak preparedness and enable authorities to respond more quickly to emerging health threats.
Specialised training would also help doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals identify and manage climate-related health risks.
Stronger governance and accountability needed
The study recommends introducing climate-risk assessments for new health-sector development projects and establishing a dedicated taskforce within the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to develop costed interventions.
Relations Division would coordinate development-partner financing and applications to international climate funds. The Planning Commission would support climate-health assessments and identify health-related contributions from investments in other sectors.
The study emphasises that identifying existing resources, securing financing commitments and preparing projects with clear timelines and measurable health outcomes would be essential to translate the adaptation roadmap into funded programmes.
Coordination and capacity building remain critical
Speakers said Bangladesh had significant opportunities to secure international funding to address climate-related health risks but had faced challenges in mobilising such resources effectively.
They called for stronger coordination among government agencies, private-sector organisations and non-governmental organisations, alongside blended financing approaches to address funding gaps in the health sector.
The speakers also stressed the need to train healthcare professionals on climate-related health risks and incorporate the subject into educational curricula.
As climate change increasingly threatens public health, the proposed $1.4 billion financing roadmap offers Bangladesh a framework for mobilising domestic resources and international support. Its success, however, will depend on converting proposed funding targets into firm commitments, strengthening institutional coordination and ensuring that investments deliver measurable benefits for climate-vulnerable communities.
