Data management essential to tackle pandemic: Experts

Proper management of authentic data is essential to cope with the economic recovery and tackle the ongoing pandemic, experts said at a webinar on Saturday evening.
According to them, availability, quality and proper analysis of the data can help policymakers define a better way forward to recovery at present and in the post-pandemic period.
They made the observations at a webinar titled 'Covid-19 and Bangladesh: Response and Resilience' organized by Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO), Centre for Genocide Studies (CGS), University of Dhaka.
The webinar was the fifth episode of a series styled as 'Understanding Covid-19 Pandemic: The Power of Data.'
Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, took part in the discussion.
Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of International Relations and Director of the CGS, moderated the webinar.
Dr. Fahmida said there is no alternative but to gather huge data on the situation like Covid-19 for coping with it.
Real-time authentic data is essential for not only addressing an epidemic but also for making economic decision, she added.
Mentioning an inadequate number of Covid-19 testing in Bangladesh, she said the Covid-19 epidemic has exposed Bangladesh's unpreparedness for the crisis moment.
"It has been understood during the pandemic how ill-prepared we are in terms of taking care of our own health."
The health crisis has led to social and economic crisis, Dr Fahmida added.
Highlighting the need for data accuracy, the economist said Bangladesh is likely to register lower Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the current fiscal year than that is predicted.
There are mismatches in growth predictions made by the government and international agencies, she noted.
"The estimation made by the government to achieve a GDP growth rate of 5.2 per cent creates debate," she said explaining the country's economic situation in pre-pandemic and current situation.
Highlighting the ways to economic recovery, she said when the pandemic concludes the economy of Bangladesh as well as the global one will recover faster at the initial phase.
"We need to ensure that the recovery will be an inclusive one, and careful to the environment and ecosystem."
Farah Kabir said the pandemic can be considered as an opportunity to address some inequalities.
The informal sector has been seriously affected due to Covid-19.
She also underscored the need for gathering the data for removing a wide range of inequalities.
Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed said the BPO collects data on 26 categories of violence that take place in the country.
The CGS has also been collecting data on Covid-19 related issues including deaths from Covid-19-like symptoms which are not filed officially to get a clear picture, he said.
People in the country are now somehow developing resilience to survive amid the pandemic, he observed.

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