SHARE Bangladesh - Dhaka holds 2nd International Symposium on Community Health Workers 2019

icddr,b organised the 2^nd International Symposium on ‘Community Health Workers 2019’ on 22-24 November 2019 in collaboration with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of Bangladesh; BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH) and Save the Children, Bangladesh at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka, Bangladesh.



The theme of the symposium was ‘Potentials of Community Health Workers in Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Context of Universal Health Coverage (UHC)’. CHW Programmes in LMIC’s, CHWs and UHC, CHWs in Special Situations and CHW Programmes and Prevention and Control of NCDs were four sub-themes. The Dhaka symposium represents a renewed, re-energised vision and engagement of the community health workers to act and deliver interventions that would address emerging challenges of non-communicable diseases.

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The symposium had 4 plenary sessions, 20 parallel sessions, 8 panel sessions and 4 side sessions including a pre-event organised by USAID. Total 100 oral presentations and 41 posters were presented in different sessions. Approximately 512 participants from 35 countries have registered in the symposium including community health workers from the rural areas.

8 keynote speeches were presented by Prof Danial Redpath, Senior Director, Health Systems and Populations Studies Division (HSPSD), icddr,b, Dr Makhduma Nargis, Vice Chairperson, Community Clinic Health Support Trust, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Bangladesh, Md Humayun Kabir, Senior Strategic and Technical Advisor, MEASURE Evaluation, Bangladesh, Dr Mushtaque Chowdhury, Former Vice Chair and Executive Director, BRAC, Bangladesh, Dr Timothy Grant Evans, Director and Associate Dean of the School of Population and Global Health (SPGH), Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Canada, Kyle Muther, Director, Advisory Engagements, Last Mile Health, USA, Dr Rory Nefdt, Senior Advisor Health, Child and Community Health, UNICEF, New York.

In the closing session, “Bangladesh National Strategy for Community Health Workers (2019-2030)” was unveiled, which was developed under the leadership MOHFW, with support from Save the Children Bangladesh, USAID, UNICEF and WHO. The symposium is also supported by the USAID, European Union, UKaid, MSH, Vital Strategies, BRAC, UNICEF, UNFPA, and WHO.

Mr. Zahid Maleque, MP, the Honourable Minister, MoHFW was the Chief Guest of closing ceremony while Professor Dr Syed Modasser Ali, Chairman, Community Clinic Health Support Trust, MoHFW, Bangladesh was the chief guest in the inauguration ceremony and he officially inaugurated the Symposium.

Mr. Md. Ashadul Islam, Secretary, Health Services Division, MoHFW, Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Director General, DGHS, MoHFW, Bangladesh and Mr. Kazi A K M Mohiul Islam, Director General, Directorate General of Family Planning, MoHFW, Bangladesh and Dr John D Clemens, Executive Director at icddr,b spoke in the occasion.

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On the closing session, Professor Dr Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General (Admin), DGHS, MoHFW, Bangladesh summarised all the presentations and posters and presented major recommendations altogether. She stressed that, “Community Health Workers (CHWs) should be engaged in prevention & control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) especially in urban settings where the burden of NCD is high.  The Linkage between CHW programmes and the national health systems should be established and Government should have ownership of all CHW programmes, as key recommendations from the symposium.”

Dr Iqbal Anwar, Scientist and Project Director, icddr,b gave the welcome speech. The symposium has received unprecedented interest from participants around the world. Among others, Dr Seharla Abdulahi, State Minister of Health-Operation, Ethiopia also participated in the symposium.