UN invites PM to address General Assembly

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been invited to address the United Nations General Assembly next month for Bangladesh's 'best performance' in the health sector, reports bdnews24.com.
Health Secretary MN Neazuddin addressing 6,151 new doctors Thursday said the UN has invited Hasina because Bangladesh's health sector had done so well.
"Prime Minister was invited to speak in view of our ' best contribution' in the health sector in the world," he said.
The secretary cited Bangladesh's earlier achievements that include MDG 4 award for cutting under-5 child deaths, and British medical journal 'The Lancet' series on Bangladesh where it termed "striking health success".
The Lancet last year said the pace of growth of Bangladesh's health sector was most 'striking' among South Asian countries despite Dhaka spending less on this sector than several neighbouring countries.
The influential journal said the country "now has the longest life expectancy, the lowest total fertility rate, and the lowest infant and under-5 mortality rates in south Asia".
In an article 'Health transcends poverty in Bangladesh', researchers identified several factors that put the country on track to achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals. Researchers were particularly impressed with Bangladesh's achievement as they pointed out "health systems are complex and no simple recipe exists for success".