An Inter-country Meeting of the National Programme Managers for Leprosy Elimination for the WHO SEAR Region was held in Dhaka from 9-11 December 2003 at Hotel Sonagraon, Dhaka. The objectivies of the meeting were to review the progress of implementation of of leprosy elimination in the member countries during 2002-2003, to review progress made towards integration of leprosy climination into the general health service, and to review and Bangladesh, action for the year 2004. Representatives from Bangladesh, India, Nepal,

Bhutan, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanamar, Sri Lanka and Thailand took part in the meeting. The session was officially inaugurated by the Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, Dr. Khankakar Mosharraf Hossain. At the inaugural session welcome address was given by Dr. N. Kumara Rai, Director, CDS/SEARO while a message from the Regional Director WHO/SEARO was read out.

Infection control is one of the critical components to ensure quality in hospital services, As it has been given great importance by WHO, the Directorate of Nursing Services has taken the initiative to develop a training manual for nurses, In-service training workshops on infection control/prevention werre conducted in 7 hospitals, [NITOR, Dhaka; IDCH.

Dhaka: Patuakhali General Hospital: Noakhali General Hospital: Narayangonj 200 bed Hospital, Munshiganj General Hospital; Pabna Sadar Hospital] 98 Senior Staff Nurses and 7 Nursing Supervisors were trained in relevant areas during the 6 days training. An infection control committee was formed in each Hospital with a focal point to monitor the infection control procedures,. Through this initiative, nurses acquire and enhance knowledge and skills to safe guard against infection and prevent and reduce unnecessary sufferings for themselves other hospital staff and the patients and enhance their role as health promoters/educators.