World Health Day
2010 observed
Message on WHD 2010:
The World Health Day
(WHD) was observed
in Bangladesh as
elsewhere across the
world, on
Wednesday, April 7
2010 with the prime
focus on the theme
“Urbanization and
Health”. To mark the
day, WHO Bangladesh
in collaboration
with the Bangladesh
Government organized
a series of
interesting events
during 7-11 April
2010 in all parts
the country. The day
was observed in
Dhaka through a
day-long programme
at the Bangabandhu
International
Conference Centre,
attended by
government,
non-government,
private and social
organizations.
“Urban health is
beyond the control
of the health
ministry alone and
it needs better
coordination and
joint action plans
between the Ministry
of Health and other
relevant ministries
to ensure better
urban health and
environment”, said
the Health and
Family Welfare
Minister of
Bangladesh, Dr A F M
Ruhal Haque, at the
central inaugural
function of the day
as the event’s Chief
Guest.
In his inaugural
speech, the minister
said that the city
is the home of
opportunities and
risks. Health
problems in the
urban areas have
increased with
growing population.
It is essential now
to minimise some of
the problems of
rapid, unplanned
urbanization,
through
well-developed and
need-based urban
town planning, the
Minister opined.
Health Advisor to
the Prime Minister,
Professor Syed
Modasser Ali, State
Minister for Local
Government,
Cooperative and
Rural Development
Advocate Jahangir
Kabir Nanak, State
Minister for Health
and Family Welfare,
Dr Captain (Retd)
Mujibur Rahman
Fakir, WHO
Representative to
Bangladesh, Dr
Duangvadee
Sungkhobol, Health
Ministry’s
Secretary, Mr Shaikh
Altaf Ali, Director
General of Health
Services, Dr Shah
Monir Hossain,
Director General of
Directorate of
Family Planning, Mr Md
Abdul Qayyum,
President of
Bangladesh Medical
Association
Professor Dr Mahmud
Hasan and Secretary
General Professor Dr
Sharfuddin Ahmed,
spoke during the
launching ceremony.
An exhibition was
also organized at
the lobby of the
Bangabandhu
International
Conference Centre
with participation
of 25 different
health and
environment-related
organizations. Apart
from these, there
were different
activities at
national, sub
national and
community levels to
mark the day, such
as, media people’s
orientation in
Dhaka, discussions
and rallies at the
City Corporation,
Municipality and
District levels.
The
awareness-generation campaign
was quite a success.
As part of the
Global campaign
“1000 Cities; 1000
Lives”, Bangladesh
has successfully
managed to register
17 cities and
municipalities of
the country for
taking part in the
campaign, and six
Health Champion’s
videos have been
uploaded on the WHD
2010 Website.