New York: Professor Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, has urged for heightened investment in universal health and well-being with a focus on youth-centric initiatives. He delivered this call during Bangladesh’s national statement at the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD58) at the United Nations Headquarters on April 7, as per an official release.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Prof Rahman emphasized the potential benefits of leveraging social business models. He suggested that engaging enterprises to reinvest their profits could significantly expand healthcare access, drive service delivery innovation, and empower communities. Prof Rahman reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to global cooperation, highlighting its readiness to share experiences and lessons learned, particularly in maternal health, gender equality, and climate-resilient health systems, as a former Chair and current mem
ber of the UNFPA Executive Board.
Prof Rahman also participated in a high-level side event titled “Improving Health and Well-being for Women and Newborns,” organized by UNFPA. He underscored the vital role of midwives in enhancing maternal and newborn health and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to education, training, and creating additional midwifery positions to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Currently, Bangladesh employs approximately 3,000 professional midwives, with ongoing efforts to increase this number. Prof Sayedur Rahman is on an official visit to New York for the 58th session of the Commission on Population and Development, which is being held from April 7-11. The delegation also includes Dr Sarwar Bari, Secretary of the Medical Education and Family Welfare Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Shireen Parvin Huq, Chair of the Women Affairs Reforms Commission.