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Saturday | November 14, 2026 | Dhaka

Max Foundation Bangladesh Concludes National Dissemination Event on Urban Nutrition and Community Health

 New Nation
 Published: 10:12 PM, 14 November 2026

Max Foundation Bangladesh successfully shared its Research Findings from a study done in collaboration with BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health (BRAC JPGSPH). The findings presented were from the study, “From Systems to Communities: Understanding Pathways of Change in the Health Village in Urban Programme,” conducted by BRAC JPGSPH studying the effectiveness of the Healthy Village Approach in the urban Lalmonirhat context.

This event in Dhaka brought together key stakeholders, development partners and senior government officials.

Dr. Md. Rizwanur Rahman, Chief Guest, remarked: “There is a need for collaboration between the government and private sector to achieve results in public health and nutrition. He stated that the current healthcare workforce and service delivery capacity are insufficient to meet growing needs, highlighting the importance of a public-private partnership (PPP) model”. He also advised that all initiatives of the private sector must be consistent with the government’s activities and programs to improve service delivery and achieve positive results.

Dr. Mohammad Mujibur Rahman, Director General of Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC) also emphasized on the importance of PPP for the future of our health system. Highlighting that the majority of our population still seeks healthcare services from private providers, integrating and embracing the role of the private sector is integral to ensuring equitable healthcare access in Bangladesh.

Dr. Laura Reichenbach, Dean of BRAC JPGSPH, shared: This study provides rigorous evidence on how trained local women can bridge the gap between families and the public health system. Our partnership with Max Foundation highlights the vital role of academic-NGO collaborations in generating the data needed to inform policy, strengthen community clinics, and ensure that essential nutrition services continue long after external funding ends

Dr. A.T.M. Tariqul Islam, Country Director, Max Foundation Bangladesh, stated: “At Max Foundation, we operate on a core strategy of ‘Evidence for Scale’—generating evidence through academic collaborations to advocate for scale up of sustainable approaches. This research with BRAC JPGSPH shows how the private sector and last-mile women micro-enterprises fit into the health journey, and how we can create pathways of change that truly outlive programme support.”

This mixed-methods study provided an understanding of how reliable community relationships can bring positive changes for improved preventative child healthcare. In Lalmonirhat, Health Promoting Agents (HPAs) supported mothers in improving child-feeding practices through household visits, organizing cooking demonstrations, and providing breastfeeding attachment support. Bringing the research to life, Lata Rani, a Health Promoting Agent (HPA), addressed the attendees and shared her experience with the Lalmonirhat Entrepreneurs Association which is a self-initiated platform formed for their own business sustainability.