Advancing Urban Health: Insights and Strategies for Sustainable Development Goals - A Recap of the Second Bi-weekly Knowledge Sharing Virtual Seminar Session by BUHN
The 2nd Bi-weekly Knowledge Sharing Virtual Seminar Session was hosted by the Bangladesh Urban Health Network (BUHN) on February 12, 2024, via online through the Zoom platform, addressing Urban Health and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program was designed with presentations and panel discussions, honoring Mohammad Nora Alam Siddique, Joint Secretary LGRD&Co, as the Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Shah Monir Hossain, Former Director General, DGHS, President of BNCDF and Dr. Shehlina Ahmed, Consultant, Unicef as the panelist. Dr. Afsana Alamgir Khan, Assistant Director (Project Coordination), DGHS, MoHFW and Masuda Begum, Director of Health and Nutrition at Nari Maitri, gave presentation on “Urban Health: An Overview” and Nari Maitree’s 40 years’ journey on “Urban Health & Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh” respectively. The seminar commenced with a warm welcome from Dr. Shamim Hayder Talukder, CEO of Eminence and Member Secretary of BUHN.
In the first presentation, Dr. Afsana Alamgir Khan, providing an insightful overview of the current state of urban health services in Bangladesh, emphasised on comprehensive facilities, primary care, and the proposal for the Urban General Practitioner Centre addressed pressing issues like limited resources, traffic, pollution, and healthcare disparities during urbanization.
In the 2nd presentation, Masuda Begum, focusing on climate change and urban health, shed light on the crucial need for urban health stewardship and appeal to the Government to allocate funds for Universal Health Coverage by 2030, underscoring the significance of coordination among ministries and development partners in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The subsequent panel discussion delved into challenges in the urban health sector. Prof. Dr. Shah Monir Hossain, advocated for strategic planning and proposed a model for urban health centers, emphasizing primary healthcare for every fifty thousand people in urban areas. Dr. Shehlina Ahmed, highlighted the role of pharmacy shops in providing healthcare, stressing collaboration with the private sector and NGOs for improved service provision. The discussions also covered the importance of organizing seminars. Dr. Abu Jamil Faisel, Chairman & Treasurer of Health21, emphasized the necessity to revise the health municipality policy and ensure collective responsibility.
The speech by the Chief Guest, Mohammad Nora Alam Siddique, Joint Secretary LGRD&Co, underscored the importance of cooperation between government ministries and local governments. He emphasized sustainability in public services and suggested potential rethinking and revision of the current health strategy for better effectiveness.
The seminar concluded with crucial recommendations, including a proposal for the establishment of the Urban General Practitioner Centre to alleviate pressure on specialized hospitals, allocating essential funds for Universal Health Coverage by 2030, recognizing the need for financial support from the government. With the significance of coordination among ministries and development partners. The seminar also called for revision of the current health strategy, and proposed reviving the strategic plan with joint ownership from the Local Government Division and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, demonstrating commitment to effective and sustainable healthcare planning. Dr. Margub Aref Jahangir, a Unicef Technical Support Team Member of BUHN concluded the session emphasizing on revising the strategic plan
