Bangladesh a unique example of containing Covid-19: WHO DG

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised Bangladesh for its success in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the country is a unique example of containing the virus.

He made the remarks during a courtesy call paid on Adhanom by Mustafizur Rahman, Bangladesh's permanent representative to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva, at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva on Tuesday.

Rahman apprised Dr Adhanom of the initiatives taken by Bangladesh to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and explained in detail the coordinated efforts based on the "Whole-of-the-Government" approach under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to combat the pandemic.

He also briefed the WHO DG of the other achievements of Bangladesh in the health sector and reiterated its commitment to implement universal health coverage for all its citizens, according to a press release from the office of Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to UN in Geneva.

Referring to Bangladesh's flagship initiative of setting up community clinics, the Bangladesh envoy said these clinics had brought the community-based primary healthcare services closer to the people, particularly in the rural, remote, and hard-to-reach areas.

Ambassador Rahman also shared the Bangladesh government's plan to mainstream mental health, autism, and neuro-developmental disorders in Bangladesh's health policy.

He thanked the WHO official for the UN body's proactive role particularly for different initiatives in the developing countries in containing the novel coronavirus.

He also requested Adhanom to make the bold efforts to ensure the supply of the coronavirus vaccines more visible, particularly to the low and middle-income countries, in the framework of the COVAX Facility.

Adhanom expressed satisfaction over the development of health infrastructure and services in Bangladesh, while assuring Ambassador Rahman of WHO's continued support to, and cooperation with, Bangladesh.