Dhaka:Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain emphasized the need for integrated awareness programs and collaborative efforts to protect eye health, stating that expanding medical services alone is insufficient.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Sakhawat made these remarks while addressing a workshop titled 'Review and Finalisation of the Multisectoral Action Plan for Eye Health in Bangladesh' as the chief guest at a city hotel.
During his speech, Sakhawat highlighted the importance of coordinated and multifaceted awareness programs and urged all stakeholders, alongside the health sector, to work together. He underscored the necessity of an integrated approach to overall health risks, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and kidney diseases, to reduce the risk of eye diseases.
Sakhawat pointed out that diabetes significantly increases the risk of eye and kidney damage, as well as heart disease and stroke. He noted the high cost of cataract surgery for many people and called on physicians to collaborate on disease prevention and early detection initiatives to protect eye health.
He further explained that diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, eye diseases, and kidney diseases are closely interconnected. Therefore, he advocated for coordinated treatment and preventive initiatives rather than separate medical interventions for each disease.
Sakhawat proposed forming effective groups or platforms involving specialist physicians from different medical disciplines to undertake joint efforts in raising public awareness, preventing diseases, and ensuring healthcare services. He concluded that such initiatives would help people become aware of serious health risks at an early stage, including kidney and eye damage caused by diabetes and strokes resulting from high blood pressure.