Dhaka:State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. M A Muhit, emphasized the need for a sustainable eye-care network grounded in community ownership and participation to provide quality eye-care services directly to people's doorsteps.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Muhit highlighted that community involvement is essential for delivering sustainable and quality eye-care services effectively. He underscored the importance of a collaborative healthcare structure involving the government, international and local non-governmental organizations, hospitals, and specialist physicians.
Dr. Muhit was speaking as the chief guest at a workshop titled "Stakeholder Consultation on the Rajshahi Eye Health Framework" held at a city hotel in Gulshan. He discussed the government's commitment to developing a healthcare system that will meet the needs of the population for the foreseeable future, suggesting that integrating basic eye-care training for government health workers into their daily routines could help build a sustainable healthcare system.
He assured continued support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital and other stakeholders, for advancing the eye-care sector. Dr. Muhit encouraged the workshop participants to create a realistic action plan through cooperative group work and open discussions, noting that a successful framework in the Rajshahi division could serve as a model for other regions.
Speakers at the event included Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Md Mohsin, Helen Keller International Vice President (Eye Health) Dr. Rahul Ali, Ophthalmological Society of Bangladesh President Dr. Md. Tauhidur Rahman, and acting director of the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital Dr. Syeed Mehbub Ul Kadir.