The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mass awareness to prevent thalassemia underscored

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Expert physicians have said that about 6000 children in the country are born with different categories of cancer and 60 to 70 percent of them are treatable by the physicians of our country, provided they are brought under treatment in time.

While speaking on thalassemia, they said the disease was an inherited blood disorder among the children which passed throught the genes of the carrier parents. Thalassemia causes mild or severe anemia among the attacked children. This type of anemia occurred due to reduced hemoglobin and fever, red blood cells (RBC) than normal level. Speakers said this at a seminar held at the MMCH recently.

Two separate papers were presented on the disease one by Prof Dr MA Mannan and other by Prof Dr Saiful Islam, both from the Paediatrics department of BSMMU in the seminar with Bring Gen Maung Tin Win NDC, director of MMCH in the chair. Principal of MMC Prof Dr Manwar Hossain, Head of Paediatrics deptt Dr Nazrul Islam, among others, addressed the seminar as special guests.

Dr M Azizul Haque delivered the address of welcome while Dr Golam Azam gave the vote of thanks. Dr Mashive Rahman facilitated the seminar participated by a number of doctors and other health service, providers working at the MMCH.

Issues like cancer treatment and preventive measues of the disease were discussed. The speaker however emphasised on creating mass awareness about child hood cancer and Thalassemic diseases as one of the effective preventive measure.

At present childhood cancer is treated at the BSMMU and the government has a plan to set up childhood cancer treatment units at 8 public medical collage hospitals including the MMCH soon leading expert physicians said.

Special programme for food security stressed

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a discussion here today underlined the need for adopting a special programme for food security in the region and suggested a particular allocation to this field in the national budget of 2008-09.

Terming Rajshahi Division as a poverty-prone region, they said the condition of public health is acute giving rise to various diseases due mainly to malnutrition.

The Conscious Citizens Committee (CCC), a sister organisation of the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), and Health and Environment Journalists Forum (HEJF) jointly arranged the session "Rajshahi's Health Services: Pre-budget" at the GDRC conference Centre.

HEJF Joint Secretary Akbarul Hassan Millat presented a concept paper on the issue with CCC Senior Member Raziuddin Ahmed in the chair. HEJF President Mustafizur Rahman Khan Alam moderated the session.

The speakers underscored the need for enhancing budgetary allocation for poverty alleviation to ensure proper healthcare services for the poor and marginal people.

They observed that the healthcare services would not be ensured for the distressed people without freeing themselves from the vicious cycle of poverty. Apart from increasing the budgetary allocation, state control on the health sector should be intensified to bring transparency and accountability in the public health service, they said.

RCC Ward Commissioner Shahnaz Begum Shikha, BLAST Coordinator Advocate Abdus Samad, NGO leaders Professor Fazlul Haque, SKL Lalon, Sarwar-E-Kamal, Advocate Deel Sitara Chuni, Journalist Rashed Ebne Obayed and Kaniz Akter Banu, among others, took part in the discussion.

Referring to mismanagement and irregularities in the health sector, the speakers urged the government to form a long-term healthcare regulatory commission to help the poor people get private health services.

One killed, 2 hurt in Madaripur road mishap

BSS, Madaripur

One person was killed and two police personnel injured in two separate road accidents at Kalkini upazila of the district on Thursday.

Police said, a bus ran over a van driver on Shashikardasa road under Kalkini upazila leaving him dead on the spot.

He was identified as Kabir, 25, of Bash Gari under Kalkini upazila.

In another accident, two police personnel were injured when a truck hit a motorcycle on Kalkini road at Mollarhat. The injured were identified as SI Aminul Islam, 30, and Constable Siddiqur Rahman.

Disbursement of subsidy on diesel begins in Sirajganj

BSS, Sirajganj

Disbursement of subsidy on diesel to the farmers of the district began on Tuesday.

Disbursement programme was inaugurated on Dhangara Union Parishad premises under Rayganj upazila.

Major Jamilur Rahman of District Army Camp, Upazila Agriculture Officer Ajit Kumar Sarkar and Union Parishad Chairman Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain attended the disbursement function with Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahiuddin Khan in the chair.

Taka 81,929 have been distributed among 192 farmers of Dhangara Block in the function. Taka 84,48, 813 lakh would be distributed among 30,082 farmers at Rayganj upazila.

Draft voter list published in Chuadanga

BSS, Chuadanga

District Election Commission office published draft voters' list of two upazilas-Chuadanga Sadar and Damurhuda Upazila-on Tuesday. Official sources said, a total of 1,88,174 voters enlisted their names in the new list in Chuadanga Sadar upazila. Of them, 91,682 were male and 96,492 female voters.

While the number of voters in Damurhuda upazila stood at 1,75,546 of which 86,133 were male and 89,413 female.

Correction of the new draft of voters list of the two upazilas will continue until May 8 next.

The draft voters list of the two upazilas have been pasted in the district election office, upazila nirbahi offices and union parishad offices.

News briefs

Two held, drugs seized

DINAJPUR, April 2: Members of Police and Narcotics Control Department, in anti-smuggling drives, arrested two persons from Dinajpur-Gobindaganj Highway on Monday. They also seized 178 bottles of Phensidyl and two kg of ganja during the drives. Police said a team of police recovered the phensidyl after intercepting a Dhaka-bound wheat-laden truck near Nurjahan Petrol Pump on the highway.

Current nets seized

JAMALPUR, May 2: Police in a raid recovered contraband current nets after searching a truck in the town on Sunday. Police also arrested the truck owner Habib Parvez, driver of the truck Shikku Mia and helper Mohammad Fazal. Acting on a tip-off, a team of the detective police intercepted the truck which was bound to Melandah in the district from Dhaka and seized current nets. A case was registered with Jamalpur Sadar Thana police in this connection.

Dolphin caught in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, May 2: A sweet water dolphin (shushuk) was caught by fishermen in the river Jamuna under Islampur upazila on Monday. Witnesses said the dolphin, a rare animal species, about five feet long and weighing about 100 kg was caught in the net of fishermen. They sold the dolphin to a local fish trader at Saka Bazar in Jamalpur at a price of Taka 2,000. The dolphin was alive till writing of the report, which was kept in a big bowl for display in the bazar.