2024-03-23 14:36:56
The World Health Organization (WHO) intends to assist Bangladesh in building the capacity of doctors and other health professionals. Apart from this, the organization has also expressed its desire to assist Bangladesh in combating climate change-related diseases and achieving universal health coverage.
Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia, expressed this interest during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban on Friday night.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister’s speech writer. Nazrul Islam briefed the journalists.
Nazrul said WHO expressed its desire to assist Bangladesh in providing capacity building training especially for doctors and other health related professionals.
The UN agency will work on a number of issues in Bangladesh, including climate change-related diseases, mental health and support for climate-vulnerable groups such as women, children and persons with disabilities.
As Bangladesh is the country most affected by climate change, women, children and persons with disabilities are the most affected in any disaster, so WHO will work for climate vulnerable groups.
In addition, the World Health Organization will assist Bangladesh in combating climate change-related diseases, including diseases caused by air pollution, noise pollution and rising temperatures.
In the field of mental health, the organization recommends including mental health issues such as behavioral approaches in dealing with patients in all training programs, education and curricula of health professionals.
WHO will provide support for universal health coverage in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister said that WHO is an important development partner in the health sector of Bangladesh.
Pointing out that Bangladesh has made significant progress in the health sector, he said his government has set up community clinics across the country and clinics provide free health care and medicine to women and children.
He further said, therefore, the infant and maternal mortality rates have significantly decreased, the average life expectancy has increased.
Noting that young girls feel shy to talk about breast cancer, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for early diagnosis of breast cancer.
He said that if breast cancer is detected in the early stage, the disease is curable. The Prime Minister said that the government is working to introduce a referral system at the upazila and union levels to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage.
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh will help Bhutan to build a burn unit there. He said that Bangladesh is going to become a regional center for health education as there are already many students from Bhutan, Nepal and India in Bangladesh.
He also said that the government is trying to expand this program.
Sheikh Hasina said that the government has appointed 25,000 doctors and 15,000 nurses on an emergency basis during the Covid-19 epidemic.
The Prime Minister said that the government is going to introduce licensing tests for private health practitioners.
On February 1, Saima Wazed assumed responsibility as the regional director of the Southeast Asia region of the World Health Organization. Saima Wazed is the first woman in Bangladesh and the second woman to hold this position.
At this time, the Minister of Health Dr. Samanta Lal Sen, State Minister of Health Dr. Rokeya Sultana and others were present.
Earlier, Harvard University history professor Sugata Bose paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her residence Ganabhaban.
In the meeting, they recalled the liberation war of 1971 and highlighted the bond between the people of Bangladesh and India.
PM’s Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin was present in both the meetings.