The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday launched its Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2008-2013 for Bangladesh to strengthen the capacity of the country's health system for long-term sustainable health improvement for all.

WHO Regional Director for South East Asia Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, Health Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman and LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal jointly launched the CCS at a function at Sonargaon Hotel in the morning.

The Strategy is well aligned with and complementary to the objectives and strategies of HNPSP. Health and Family Welfare Secretary AKM Zafarullah Khan presided over the launching ceremony.

Seven strategic directions, including promoting the access of vulnerable groups to health services ensuring continuum of care through the life course, were identified in the CCS to address the priority health and development challenge in Bangladesh.

The overarching principles of WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) 2008-2013 are primary healthcare approach, human right to health and gender equality and equity.

Addressing the programme, WHO Regional Director Dr Samlee Plianbangchang said the CCS is a medium-term framework for WHO cooperation in and with the country, highlighting how it will do and with whom.

"It acts as a guiding organization-wide reference for country work for planning, budgeting and resources allocation in the country."

He mentioned that the development of WHO Country Cooperation Strategy is basically a joint endeavor between WHO and the concerned national health authorities.

Emphasizing on multi-sectorality of health development, Dr Plianbangchang said the success in health development for improving the health of entire population in the country depends on the inputs and actions from other sectors than health. "Multi-sectoral involvement in health development is an essential requisite for long-term sustainable health improvement for all people," he added.

Acknowledging the contribution of World Health Organization, Health Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman said WHO's contribution has been valuable in relation to all of these elements.

He said since 1972 WHO has been a trusted partner of Bangladesh in the development of health policies, norms, standards, regulations and in the institutional capacity building as well as in human resource development.

WHO's technical assistance to the health sector of Bangladesh, over the years, has significantly contributed to the government's effort for health development in the country, he said.

The Health Adviser mentioned some significant contributions of WHO in Bangladesh that include the improvement of blood transfusion services, the community-based skilled birth attendants programme, maternal health voucher scheme, introduction of new vaccines and the introduction of auto-disable syringes (that has enhanced the impact of EPI) and the effective preparedness and response to public health emergencies, such as Nipah virus, SARS and Avian Influenza.

LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal highlighted the issues of environmental health and thanked WHO for the excellent support provided to the Department of Public Health Engineering to address the challenge relating to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.

Environment and Forests Secretary AHM Rezaul Kabir, ERD Secretary M Amnul Islam Bhuiyan, Country Representative of UNHCR Pia Prytz Phiri and WHO Country Representative Dr Duangvadee Sungkhobol also spoke on the occasion.

WHO Bangladesh CCS 2008-2013 was developed through an interactive consultation and planning process that involved the government officials, development partners and other stakeholder such as major NGOs.

The primary inputs to the CCS 2008-2013 were comprehensive analysis and review of country's health and development priorities, current and expected development assistance, the impact of recent WHO collaborative work and the directions given in the WHO global and regional policy frameworks.