health – Page 2

Addressing ‘micro-nutrient’ deficiencies in Bangladesh: a Nayakrishi Perspective

28Mar

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Nayakrishi Andolon

Addressing ‘micro-nutrient’ deficiencies in Bangladesh: a Nayakrishi Perspective

Farhad Mazhar and Dr. M. A. Sobhan 'Currently most research is invested in new technologies rather than in making better use of existing knowledge. Much more research is needed to turn existing knowledge into practical application.' (WHO 2013) UBINIG’s commitment to biodiversity-based approaches to agriculture, health and nutrition is based on a critical understanding of various technological approaches to solve some of the major problems of poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Recent interest in biofortification, particularly of staple crops, is of critical interest to UBINIG, particularly to the network of Nayakrishi farmers, Specialized Seed Networks and the network of Dai Mas (traditional birth attendants). All of these networks are firmly grounded on valuable local know...

25Nov

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Health & Health Policy

Shortage of doctors and nurses:

Farida Akhter Shortage of doctors and nurses: Dismal picture of the rural healthcare in Bangladesh In the rural Bangladesh, people go to “Sorkari Haspatal” (the government health facility) because they know that the ‘Daktar shaheb’ (doctor) is qualified. In times of sickness, they prefer government hospital over a private one, because it is “free” or much less costly than the private treatment. Most importantly, they trust the doctors. They feel it is their right to receive services from a government hospital. For a village patient, the nearest sophisticated health centre is called Upazilla Health Centre, established for a population of 200,000 to 350,000. The services are available are for treatment of common diseases, emergency services and injuries. But the question is, are ...

30Nov

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Health & Health Policy

“Wrong Treatment or Negligence”

Farida Akhter Bangladesh health care system, both public and private, is facing serious ‘allegations’ of wrong treatment of diseases resulting in the death, casualty or disability of the patient. The news is published in daily newspapers coming from almost all the districts of the country. Although it is not a new phenomenon at all, but massive complains It indicate that wrong treatment is widespread and happening again and again with no solution in sight. The recent incident of such “wrong treatment” in one of the private clinics in Rajshahi made another news headline not only for the death of the patient who died at the clinic, but because doctors went on an indefinite strike from the morning of March 28 and therefore the medical services at the government and privately-run h...

13Jun

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Development

Peoples Perspectives

UBINIG Dreaming & Mumbling with Numbers Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith made a Power Point presentation of the National Budget for 2010-11 fiscal year in the parliament on June 10, to spend Tk 1,32,170 crore or US$ 19 billion, with a target of 6.7 % GDP growth as against 5.5 percent for the current year. The proposed Budget will have a deficit Tk. 39,323 crore or 5% of proposed GDP. The prevailing mainstream responses to the budget miserably reflect the poverty of thought on macro-economic policy and the role of such yearly financial tool to set a dynamic direction for the economy to recover from the assault of neo-liberal economic policies. Only substantive critique so far one could hear even from prestigious think tanks is that the budget is big and ambitious, but ...

Reality Check, 2009 on Primary Health Care

21May

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Health & Health Policy

Reality Check, 2009 on Primary Health Care

UBINIG Declining quality of public health services is leading to increased use of private healthcare services 20 May 2010. DHAKA: Shasthya Andolon, a network of researchers, physicians, and health and environmental activists organised a "Dissemination & Discussion Session" on sharing of findings of the study Reality Check Bangladesh 2009: Listening to Poor People's Realities about Primary Healthcare. Shasthaya has organised this event on behalf of Sida (Swedish International Development Agency) as their commitment to engage with the policy makers and development partners to create an enabling policy environment for positive directions in national healt policy, strategy and health financing issues. The event took place on 20 May, 2010 at CIRDAP Auditorium, Dhaka. A form o...

18May

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Health & Health Policy

Shasthya Andolon Against Rid Pharma

UBINIG Protest against the producer of Paracetamol syrup Shasthya Andolon organized a human chain in front of the National Drug Administration office in Motijheel, CA in Dhaka. They demanded immediate arrest of five officials of the Rid Pharmaceuticals, including its managing director, accused of causing the deaths of children with poisonous syrup. Twenty-seven children have died of renal failure after the intake of "Temset" paracetamol syrup of the company. Shasthya Andolon in collaboration with Shasthya Odhikar Andolon o Jote (Health Right Movement) Human Rights orgnisation and workers organization held a human chain to demand exemplary punishment of the people responsible for the incident. They also demanded compensation for the families of the deceased children. Shasth...

15May

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Health & Health Policy

Towards Peoples’ Health Policy 2008

Farhad Mazhar/Farida Akhter/Salek Ahmed Seminar on Health Policy, 2008 under Caretaker Government The care taker government (2007-2008) of Bangladesh with the mandate of giving a free and fair election by December, 2008 came up with the National Health policy – Update, 2008 in August 2008. The draft was prepared by a committee formed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and was given in the website for suggestions from relevant quarters within September 15, 2008, later extended to September. Shashthya Andolon, a group of health activists involving health practitioners, researchers, policy advocacy groups, journalists and social activists, responded immediately by critically analysing the document. Shashtya Andolon m...

18Apr

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Btbrinjal & Corporate Politics

Bt Brinjal and Begoon

Farida Akhter Bangladesh Approving Bt Brinjal !! Risk to Environment, Biodiversity and Health "Begoon" (Brinjal or Eggplant) is a very common and favourite vegetable in Bangladesh. It is even becoming an international vegetable along with okra and cauliflower because of the Indian Restaurants in Europe and North America. But for us in Bangladesh, it is not just a vegetable, it has more link with the social, cultural and economic lives of rural people, particularly women. It is cultivated in the agricultural fields sometimes as a cash crop in the commercial vegetable growing areas, but every rural household has few brinjal plants in the kitchen garden. But unfortunately, now this Brinjal is facing severe and aggressive threat from the Biotech industry with the so-called Bt. B...