The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion yesterday demanded elimination of any kind of discrimination between the urban and the rural areas in the health sector.

They pointed out that healthcare should be considered as the basic right of the people and delivered with equity and impartially to all sectors of people living in both rural and urban areas.

Health Rights Movement National Committee organised the discussion marking 30th anniversary of the Alma Ata declaration at the National Press Club in the city. Presenting the keynote paper, Mohsin Kabir, Programme Officer of Population Services and Training Centre (PSTC) called for the implementation of the declaration for sustainable development in the health sector.

Addressing the programme as chief guest, Chairman of Transparency International Bangladesh, Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed said lack of commitment of the political parties is one of the main obstacles in the way of the implementation of the declaration.

Terming the declaration as a great step for making a harmonised society, theme leader of Right to Quality Health of Action Aid Sarder Arif Uddin said the global politics and our political framework stood in the way of implementation of the Alma Ata declaration in the country.

ABM Farukh, a teacher of Dhaka University, suggested that essential drug list should be maintained daily and the price of these should be kept with the purchasing capacity of the poor.

Rashid-e-Mahbub, President of the Committee presided over the programme. Md Shafikujjaman, Senior Assistant Secretary of Health Ministry, Milon Bikash Pal, President and Habibur Rahman, Project Manager of the PSTC, among others, attended the function.

UNB, Dhaka

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia's political secretary Mosaddek Ali Falu was Monday released from jail on bail granted by the higher court in the wake of mass release of political prisoners ahead of elections.

Convicted in one of several cases against him, Falu, also a former BNP lawmaker, walked to freedom at about 6:45 pm from Kashimpur jail in Gazipur to a floral reception by his kinsmen.

On June 2 this year, a special court trying high-profile graft suspects following the 1/11 change of guards in state power sentenced him to five years' rigorous imprisonment for "embezzlement" of government relief materials.

Joint forces arrested Falu, who had a rise from rags to riches, at his city residence on February 5 last year on charges of corruption under an ongoing purge.