Bangladesh attains success in lowering total fertility rate: Speakers

Rajshahi, July 12, 2015: Speakers at a meeting have said Bangladesh has made substantial progress in the health and population sector in recent times, particularly in reducing fertility and child mortality and in increasing the coverage of health and family planning services to the people.

They also mentioned that the country has witnessed marked improvements in maternal and child health over the last four decades.

Women are having fewer children and these children are increasingly likely to live longer and healthier lives than previous generations.

They are also receiving more skilled assistance during pregnancy and delivery than ever before. The speakers made the observation while giving crests, prizes and certificates among some government and non-government institutions for their laudable contribution to the field of providing maternal and child health services.

Tilottoma Mohila Swechhasebi Sangstha clinched the best position.

Divisional and district offices of the Department of Family Planning organized the discussion in the conference hall of Family Welfare Visitors Training Institute (FWVTI) in observance of the World Population Day-2015 yesterday.

Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed and Deputy Commissioner Mejbah Uddin Chowdhury addressed the meeting as the chief and special guests respectively with divisional director of the Department of Family Planning SM Zahedul Karim in the chair.

In his welcome speech, deputy director-in-charge of the department Tasiqul Islam Amir Hossain gave an overview of the district level family planning activities and, so far, achievements.

Efforts have been made over the past years through increasing access to health care services, with special emphasis on human resource development with a view to reducing the maternal and child mortality and morbidity, the discussants opined.

Maternal and child health services have been given highest priority in the health system. Maternal and child health services are provided through the countrywide facility network.

Further improvements would need effective public-private and NGO partnerships to improve access to and quality of services. Bangladesh also needs to be prepared to deal with the worrying rise in non-communicable illnesses, like hypertension and diabetes.

Bringing more women into contact with the public and private health care system early in pregnancy is critical to improving maternal and newborn health. (Source: BSS)