Stronger role of nutritionists, dieticians stressed to improve healthcare
Health experts have underscored the need to strengthen the role of nutritionists and dieticians in improving public health, preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and ensuring evidence-based nutrition services across Bangladesh.
They said modernising clinical dietetic services and developing a skilled workforce are essential to improving patient care and accelerating recovery through effective nutritional management.
The observations came at a national dialogue titled “Advancing Clinical Dietetics to Ensure Better Patient Care”, held on Wednesday afternoon at the CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka. The event was organised by Shushasthyer Bangladesh and brought together policymakers, physicians, dietitians, academics, researchers and other stakeholders from the health, nutrition and education sectors.
Speaking as the chief guest, Dr SM Ziauddin Haider, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Affairs, said Bangladesh must increase both the quality and number of its health workforce.
“Our healthcare system must move beyond a treatment-oriented approach and become more prevention-focused,” he said. “To ensure healthy longevity, it is essential to strengthen the position of nutritionists and expand their participation in mainstream healthcare.”
He stressed the importance of deploying dietitians at the grassroots level while improving professional regulation, education standards and academic curricula. He also announced that the government plans to introduce a dedicated regulatory system for dietitians in the future.
In his presidential address, Dr Kazi Saifuddin Bennur, Chairman of Shushasthyer Bangladesh and Director of the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC), called on nutrition professionals to become more actively involved in research. He said the BMRC would support such initiatives and emphasised the need to translate research findings into entrepreneurship and public health solutions.
The keynote paper was presented by Shamsunnahar Mahua, Chief Nutritionist at BIRDEM Hospital. She said scientific nutrition services are playing an increasingly important role in preventing malnutrition, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and cancer. She stressed the need to develop skilled human resources, strengthen professional capacity and expand nutrition research.
The programme opened with welcome remarks from Sayed Md Baki Billah Tutul, a member of Shushasthyer Bangladesh, and Tamanna Chowdhury, Principal Dietitian at Evercare Hospital. The concluding remarks were delivered by Chowdhury Tasnim Hasin, Chief Dietitian at Continental Hospital.
During the discussion, Dr Liaquat Ali, a member of the Health Sector Reform Committee and a researcher, emphasised the need for mandatory government registration and licensing for professional dietitians.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Renata Pharmaceuticals called for greater public-private collaboration to facilitate the development and production of therapeutic diet products in Bangladesh.
