Berlin:Dr. Zubaida Rahman, vice-president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and a distinguished cardiologist, called for sustainable investment and enhanced international cooperation to improve women's health. She emphasized that traditional development assistance alone is insufficient to meet the growing healthcare demands.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Dr. Rahman spoke at the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, highlighting Bangladesh's initiatives in maternal and newborn healthcare, adolescent nutrition, and cancer prevention for women. During her session titled 'The Moment Is Now Unlocking New Capital for Women's Health Beyond Aid,' she stressed that investing in women's health is essential not only for healthcare but also as a critical investment in human capital and economic prosperity.
Dr. Rahman pointed out the Bangladesh government's commitment to transformative investments in women's health under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's leadership. This includes addressing adolescent anemia, maternal malnutrition, and preventable maternal and newborn deaths. She mentioned plans to recruit 100,000 community and wellbeing workers, predominantly women, and 25,000 professional midwives to enhance maternal and newborn services.
Highlighting past contributions, Dr. Rahman recalled late President Ziaur Rahman's focus on women's empowerment and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's initiatives for girls' education. She emphasized that these efforts laid the foundation for Bangladesh's social development.
The government's new women's health initiative aims to prevent avoidable deaths from cancers affecting women. Dr. Rahman expressed gratitude to UNFPA and the European Investment Bank for their support, noting the importance of innovative financing in strengthening healthcare institutions and improving women's health outcomes.
She called for a shift from fragmented projects to robust health systems and sustainable investments, urging international partners to collaborate in transforming women's health. Dr. Rahman concluded by underscoring the need for political commitment and international partnerships to ensure every woman in Bangladesh has access to essential healthcare services.