In Bangladesh, seeking healthcare services is marked by profound challenges that stem from a complex interplay of demand- and supply-side barriers. On the demand side, pervasive low health literacy severely limits individuals’ ability to make informed decisions about their well-being. Sociocultural norms, often deeply entrenched, discourage proactive engagement with healthcare systems. At the same time, misconceptions about medical care, such as equating medicine with treatment, or assuming that costly interventions guarantee superior outcomes, further complicate the issue. Affordability remains a significant hurdle as many families struggle to access even basic services. Additionally, the readiness of public health facilities is often inadequate, undermining trust and discouraging utilisation. On the supply side, the healthcare system is a fragmented, pluralistic mix of providers, ranging from trained allopathic practitioners to unregulated traditional healers. This diversity, coupled with weak regulatory oversight, results in inconsistent care quality and frequent instances of inappropriate treatment.

For decades, efforts to address these issues have centred on behaviour change communication (BCC) campaigns, which aim to educate communities and shift attitudes towards healthier practices. While these initiatives have achieved some success in raising awareness, their impact is often fleeting. Top-down messaging struggles to resonate with our diverse population, failing to account for regional, cultural, or socioeconomic variations. Moreover, these campaigns rarely address deeper systemic issues, such as widespread mistrust in public health services or the absence of robust regulatory frameworks. As a result, the gains from such interventions tend to dissipate quickly, leaving communities vulnerable to the same barriers.