Form separate ministry to fight non-infectious diseases: Speakers

Speakers at a discussion yesterday urged the government to form a separate ministry or department to fight non-infectious diseases through taking health protection measures in parallel to cure.

They came up with this call at a discussion on a recent research on public health risk in Bangladesh, conducted by Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington.

Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) organised the event at its headquarter in Dhaka where medical experts, researchers and environment activists participated in the discussion.

Prof Rashid-E-Mahbub, president of Health Rights Movement, said, “There could be a separate ministry for public health, or the local government could be assigned to ensure safe food and environment to fight non-infectious diseases.”

Presided over by Poba Chairman Abu Naser Khan, Director of Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Mahbubul Alam Tahin presented a keynote paper.

Referring to the Washington University research, the keynote paper says death rate from non-infectious diseases would increase by 32 percent within 2040.

Poba placed a 13-point proposal including formation of Public Health department under the Ministry of Health and Family Planning, integration of local governments to this programme, and a special health improvement tax on junk food and sugary drinks, and implementation of Food Safety Act, 2013.