Minister under fire for comments over cholera

Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr AFM Ruhal Haque presented a proposal to the WHO (World Health Organisation) board meeting in may last year that stated that 'Bangladesh sees cholera twice a year - before and after monsoon'. Leaders of Health Rights Movement National Committee at a press conference at the National Press Club said that there was no out break of cholera in the country during the last one decade, reports bdnews24.com. "But the health ministry might not be aware of that," said Dr Lenin Chowdhury, member of the committee, and added the ministry was 'misguided by ICDDR,B.' "ICDDR,B has been pushing Bangladesh to speak about cholera in global meetings since they started the vaccine test in November 2009," he said in a written statement. The statement added they were concerned about the government's move that, they believe, could 'divert the attention from improving water supply and sanitation system in the country.' Paediatric Association of Bangladesh's Secretary General Dr Mejbah Uddin also expressed his concern. Prof Rashid-e-Mahbub, president of the citizen's committee, said safe water and improved sanitation can keep the organisms away. Prof Rashid-e-Mahbub told the news agency, "The ICDDR,B is not telling the Bangladesh government to improve its water supply and sanitation system, rather trying to force vaccines." "And this is because diarrhoeal diseases have become the financial lifeline of the institute (ICDDR,B)," he added.