PM for reforms in global health systems

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina sought reforms of global health systems and institutions like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and increased financial support to enable it provide authoritative health services and technical support to the countries, report agencies received from Geneva Tuesday. "Globally, when we debate on reforms of health systems and institutions as the WHO, we must seek reforms that strengthen the capacity of this important body," she said. The Bangladesh Premier made the call while addressing the 64th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) at Palais des Nations in Geneva Tuesday. Presided over by President of the 64th WHA Dr Christos Patsalides, Director General of WHO Dr Margaret Chan and Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates also spoke on the occasion. Delegates from 193 countries met today in Geneva at the start of the WHA, the decision-making body of the WHO. Earlier, on her arrival at the Palais des Nations, she was received by the Director General of WHO Margaret Chan. Addressing the opening session of the 64th WHA, Hasina said: "Reforms should deepen engagement of the WHO in our countries or else our endeavours to attain health related MDGs may run the risk of being compromised." "While we appreciate the assistance from the Global Fund and WHO in controlling diseases like Kala-Azar and filariasis, we urge our development partners to help design sub-regional and regional programmes to contain and combat communicable diseases," the PM said. She hoped that the global community would continue their support to Bangladesh's effort to make population an asset instead of being a burden. "The ongoing climate change and the increasing frequency and ferocity of natural disasters are threatening our food and water security leading to outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera and other waterborne diseases," she said. She expressed concern that the IPCC Report of 2007 predicts that the sea level rise due to global warming would submerge 20 per cent of Bangladesh, displacing 20 million people "with one in every eight a climate migrant." Sounding a note of caution, Hasina said a migration of this scale in Bangladesh, or elsewhere around the world, would create colossal social and health disorders. "I, therefore, call for global recognition of this challenge, including its public health dimensions, and find innovative responses to it." Hasina invited the world leaders and experts to take part at the regional conference on Autism from 25 to 27 July 2011 in Dhaka, which is being organised by herself and her daughter, psychologist Saima Wazed Hossain. "This conference may also provide important input for the United Nations High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases to be held in September 2011," she said. The PM congratulated Dr Margaret Chan for her outstanding leadership of the WHO. She also congratulated renowned philanthropist Bill Gates, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for their magnanimous contribution for global common good, especially in public health. She also mentioned Bangladesh's achievement in reducing child mortality, which has been recognised by the United Nations Award on MDG-4 presented to her last year during the 65th UNGA in New York. The PM said that as regards MDG-5 on maternal health, success is on track and will be reached by 2015. She said reducing child mortality was possible with sustained immunisation, Vitamin-A supplement and control of diarrhoeal diseases. "We would, however, need to do more in acute respiratory infections, childhood injuries, malnutrition, and post-natal care." Hasina said: "To improve the situation further, we have introduced a maternal health voucher scheme which covers 274,000 poor pregnant women per year. It costs US$ 25 per pregnancy and covers antenatal checkups and medical tests. An additional cash incentive of US$ 27 is given for child birth by a skilled provider." Appreciating the H4-1 Initiative by UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, World Bank, and USAIDS that provide an institutional mechanism for enhanced support to countries in need, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude that Bangladesh has been identified as one of three countries in South Asia for H4-1 support. Hasina stressed that non-communicable diseases (NCD) like diabetes, cancer, cardio-vascular diseases, stroke, mental health, thalassemia and autism should get due importance.