Call to formulate urban health policy

With over 3,00,000 new migrants coming to Dhaka city a year, the city dwellers find it difficult having access to proper healthcare services due to lack of government's planning and initiative, experts at a discussion said on Sunday.
The dramatic growth of the population in Dhaka has led to a number of problems, including inadequate access to water and sanitation, increasing risks of violence and crimes and environmental degradation, they said and called for formulating an urban health policy.
The Eminence organised the discussion titled 'Rapid urbanisation and urban health: Are we ready to take the challenge?' at Spectra Convention Centre.
The discussion was part of an initiative of Bangladesh Urban Health Network to reduce health hazards in urban areas and to ensure health rights of the people.
The experts said the health-related risks of urban children are much higher than the rural children due to various problems and environmental hazards in urban areas.
They also criticising the health ministry for not taking the total responsibility of health services in urban areas.
Dr Shamim Haider Talukder, chief executive officer of Eminence, and Dr M Kabir of Jahangirnagar University presented papers on current urban health situation in the country.
Dr AM Zakir Hussain, senior consultant and team leader of project preparation cell of the health ministry, chaired the session while Dr Ahmed Al Kabir of RTM International, Dr Dhiraj Kumar Nath of ADB, Dr Selina Amin of Plan Bangladesh, Dr Abu Jamil Faisel of Engender Health and Prof Barkat-e-Khuda also spoke.