A Global Health Research Centre to combat NCDs and environmental change launched in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh, 20 March 2023 – The recently established NIHR Global Health Research Centre for Non-communicable Diseases and Environmental Change was kicked-off today in Dhaka, Bangladesh at a dissemination seminar by the Non-Communicable Disease Control (NCDC) Program of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and icddr,b; in partnership with Imperial College London, UK; The George Institute for Global Health, India; Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education & Research (India), and University of Brawijaya (Indonesia). The centre is developing a programme of policy-relevant research, research capacity strengthening and community engagement to tackle the dual challenges of a rapidly growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the threat of global environmental change in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and improve the delivery of high-quality, equitable services for this dual threat, especially for marginalised populations most impacted by environmental change.

In Bangladesh, storm surges caused by tropical cyclones have led to an increase in water salinity across the coastal belt. This has harmful health effects on local populations, including increased blood pressure, progressive kidney disease and gestational hypertension in pregnant women.

Utilising the existing government Primary Healthcare Systems, the centre will work to identify and test cost-effective, sustainable solutions to reduce salinity, with a focus on hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney diseases in the coastal districts of Koyra Upazila, Khulna and Ashasuni Upazila, Satkhira, Bangladesh

It will also work towards strengthening of Primary Health Care in Bangladesh and develop multisectoral interventions through active engagement with communities that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of environmental change and NCDs.

During the launch event, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director at icddr,b delivered the welcome address and hoped the centre would be able to develop low-cost sustainable solutions and advocate for them to prevent and address non-communicable diseases through undertaking implementation research. He appreciated the tremendous contribution of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Directorate General of Health Services under the leadership of the Honourable Minister Mr Zahid Malek in combating the COVID-19 pandemic successfully. Dr Aliya Naheed, Scientist at icddr,b, presented an overview of the Bangladesh Centre while Professor Christopher Millett from the Imperial College London, UK gave an overview of the global centre with a tenure of five years.

Mr Zahid Maleque, MP, the Honourable Minister for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of Bangladesh, who graced the occasion as the chief guest of the event, highlighted various government initiatives to combat NCDs, including the eight state-of-the-art hospitals under construction in each division. He said, “I hope that the research and evidences generated by the NIHR Global Health Research Centre will be instrumental in policymaking and strategic decisions to combat NCDs in Bangladesh. The centre and icddr,b will receive all the necessary assistance from my ministry to implement this initiative.”

Dr Md. Anwar Hossain Howlader, Secretary, Health Services Division, MoHFW, who was present as the special guest. He appreciated the effort to bring together different national and global institutions and various ministries and agencies of the government of Bangladesh under this initiative. He expressed his hope that this research centre will play an effective role in preventing non-communicable diseases in the country.

Prof. Dr Ahmedul Kabir, Additional Director General (Planning and Development), DGHS gave the guest of honour speech and appreciated the effort made by NCDC, DGHS and icddr,b.

The Bangladesh Centre will be directed by Dr Aliya Naheed, in collaboration with the NCDC, Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), and technical support provided by the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Imperial College of London, and University of Portsmouth of UK.

Prior to the launch event, a scientific seminar on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Environmental Change was held in the morning, where Dr Aliya Naheed presented a multi-component intervention model, called “COBRA-BPS strategy” for controlling hypertension in rural Bangladesh.

Prof. Dr Mohammad Robed Amin, Line Director, NCDC, DGHS highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the Government of Bangladesh for controlling and tackling NCDs in Bangladesh.

Prof. Christopher Millet, Imperial College, London; Dr Devarsatty Praveen, the Centre Director from The George Institute for Global Health, India and Prof. Mashfiqus Salehin, BUET delivered presentations during the scientific session chaired by Prof. Dr Mohammad Robed Amin.

Prof. Dr Md. Ruhul Amin, Director, Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC); Md. Saifur Rahman, Superintending Engineer (Ground Water Circle), DPHE; and Md. Ziaul Haque, Director (Air quality), Department of Environment also spoke at the seminar.

Representatives from DGHS, DPHE, BWDB, Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, BAS, World Health Organization, World Bank Group, UNICEF, WaterAid Bangladesh, Helen Keller International, icddr,b, Dhaka University, BUET were also present.

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TIK