Desk Report:
Dr. Zubaida Rahman, Vice-President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and spouse of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, believes that the government’s initiative to recruit 100,000 health workers will play a crucial role in bringing preventive healthcare to the general population in remote areas of the country. She noted that 80 percent of these new recruits will be women, which will make their involvement highly effective in raising health awareness among rural and marginalized communities.
To build a healthy Bangladesh, Dr. Zubaida Rahman underscored the importance of fostering integrated partnerships—encompassing preventive healthcare, scientific research, research institutions, universities, and the pharmaceutical industry.
She made these remarks yesterday while speaking at an event held at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka, to mark the 12th anniversary of the research organization, ‘Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives’ (IDESHI).
Dr. Zubaida Rahman pointed out that long-standing neglect of the health sector has meant that essential initiatives for disease prevention have not received the attention they deserve. Consequently, millions of women across the country’s 90,000-plus villages are suffering from various illnesses—many of which could have been avoided through effective preventive measures.
She highlighted that with women making up 80 percent of the 100,000 health workers being recruited, they will be instrumental in disseminating healthcare information in remote regions. Their efforts will be particularly effective in fostering awareness among women regarding disease prevention, general health consciousness, and essential hygiene practices.
Dr. S. M. Ziauddin Haider, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Affairs, attended the event as a special guest. Professor Dr. Provat Chandra Biswas, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), also spoke as an honored guest.
During the event, Dr. Firdausi Qadri, founder and head of IDESHI, presented a paper titled, “Challenges and Realities of Scientific Research Institutions: The Context of IDESHI.”
