Call to provide free health facilities to deprived mothers

Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim requested the established hospitals in the capital city and outside to provide free health facilities to deprived mothers.
“It is very sorry to say that, there is no single example of providing free treatment to poor mothers at any private medical hospitals. Please come forward to do something for safe delivery of poor mothers across the country.”
The Minister said this on Sunday while speaking as chief guest at the launching ceremony of ‘Updated Union Health And Family Welfare Centre Operation Manual’ and experience sharing on ’24/7 Safe Delivery Initiative at UH&FWCS-WATCH Project’. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Unit of Directorate of Family Planning (DGFP) and Plan Bangladesh’s Women and their Children’s Health (WATCH) project funded by Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development (DFATD) Canada jointly organized the programme at city’s Ruposhi Bangla hotel.
The Health Minister said, “Bangladesh is a small country with huge population, so it is not easy for the government to ensure safe delivery unless the well established and rich hospitals come forward to help deprived mothers-to-be and new mothers.” Suggesting the private hospitals to provide free treatments for a day in a week Nasim said, “We have already made noteworthy success in reducing child mortality and I’m confident we could be able to reach healthcare at every corner of the country with everyone’s help.”
State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Zahid Maleque highlighted the importance of government-NGO partnership for achieving the health sector targets including the improvement of mother and child’s health.
Later, the Health Minister unveiled the ‘Updated Union Health and Family Welfare Centre Operation Manual’.
Director of Mother and Child Health (MCH) Programme and Line Director of The Maternal Child Reproductive and Adolescent Health (MCRAH) Dr Mohammad Sharif, Country Director Canada’s Bangladesh Development Programme Janet Durno, Plan International Bangladesh Country Director Senait Gebregziabher also spoke, among others, with Health Secretary MM Niazuddin in the chair.