Dhaka, June 11 -- Bangladesh will launch an initiative to appoint an additional 100,000 healthcare workers to ensure quality and people-oriented healthcare across the country, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury says.

Announcing the budget in parliament on Thursday, he said the recruitment process has started across the country.

Khosru said 80 percent of these recruits will be women.

The finance minister said an initiative has been taken to quickly recruit 5,000 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) doctors to fill posts that had long stood vacant.

In addition, opportunities for higher education and professional skill development are being expanded in the nursing and midwifery sectors.

Initiatives have been taken...