The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rajshahi

Discussants at a workshop here today underscored the need for a concerted effort of all government and non-government organisations concerned and other stakeholders to ensure reproductive health and safe motherhood for the disadvantaged and poor aboriginal community.

They said that the aboriginal population is still unaware about the modern healthcare facilities and dependent on the village quack and the nearby medicine-shop owners for their emergency health-related affairs including the pregnant mothers delivery.

In this context, they stated that only the government or any single organisation is not capable to cope with the situation but a collective effort has become essential in this regard.

They were addressing the workshop on "Ensure the rights of safe motherhood among the poor and vulnerable Tribals" hosted by Partner, Rajshahi, an NGO, at the conference hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Regional Director of Bangladesh Betar Sultana Razia and Assistant Director of Social Service Department Hamida Begum addressed the programme as chief and special guests respectively with Director of Partner Gour Prasad Kundu in the chair.

Professor Dr Zohurul Islam of Medicine of Islami Bank Medical College Hospital spoke on the occasion as focal person while Programme Officer of Urban Healthcare Project Akter Hossain, Dr Golam Mostofa of Jatiya Tarun Sangha and Programme Officer of Family Planning Association of Bangladesh Maiser Hossain took part in the discussion, among others.

Terming the aboriginals as competent labour force in agriculture, the speakers said both maternal and child death among the tribal population could be reduced through providing reproductive healthcare services and ensuring safe motherhood.

The Partner NGO has been implementing a nine-month project in 20 villages under Dewpara and Gogram UPs of Godagari upazila of the district aimed at ensuring reproductive health and safe motherhood among 587 aboriginal families with the financial support from Australian High Commission in Bangladesh under its Direct Aid Programme in April this year.

In his address of welcome, Programme Officer of the organisation Niamul Bashir highlighted the activities and progress of the project along with the findings of a two-month health-related study on the targeted families.