Integrated efforts crucial to ensure maternal, child healthcare: Experts

Collaborative efforts of all the government and non-government organisations concerned and local government institutions can be the crucial means of ensuring maternal and neonatal healthcare services to the grassroots people.

Many rural mothers, particularly marginalised and underprivileged ones, are dependent on the rural health facilities, including the upazila health complex, union health and family welfare centre, union sub-centre and community clinic, for their emergency services.

So, there is no way but to properly function the facilities to meet up the demands related to antenatal care, postnatal care and child healthcare collectively.

Health and family planning experts came up with the observation while addressing a daylong monitoring workshop related to the progress of family planning, maternal and child health and nutrition services activities.

The Deputy Director’s Office of the Department of Family Planning (DFP) organised the workshop at its conference hall in Rajshahi City on Thursday.

DFP Director General Shahan Ara Banu addressed the workshop as the chief guest while Directors Matiur Rahman and Enamul Haque spoke as special guests with Deputy Director Dr Kustary Amina Queen in the chair.

Shahan Ara Banu called for Calling for bringing all the fertile couples under family planning services by infusing dynamism into the activities of family planning for the sake of a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

She also urged to create public awareness about aspects of the planned family besides availing the existing maternal and child health care.

In his remarks, Matiur Rahman attributed that the present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly to ensure adolescent and reproductive healthcare services.

He urged the field-level officers and employees to supplement the government endeavour by performing their respective duties with utmost sincerity and honesty.