Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
Non-communicable diseases are the top killers and the major health challenges for Bangladesh but its prevention system is not getting due importance in the existing healthcare system.
Health and rights activists have underlined the need of coordinated initiatives by the concerned departments
of the government in preventing the non-communicable diseases. They suggested for forming ‘Health Promotion Foundation’ in this regard. Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Director of the Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, who recently conducted a study on non-communicable diseases, on Friday told The New Nation that 40 per cent cancer disease is preventable if steps are taken at the right time, while 80 per cent of the other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac problem and stroke can be controlled under the prevention system.
He said that the government should take initiative to form ‘Health Promotion Foundation’ in this regard. “The prevention of non-communicable diseases is not getting importance due to the doctor-based existing healthcare system. Formation of the Health Promotion Foundation is needed like several other countries to strengthen the prevention system of the diseases,” he also said. Syed Mahbubul Alam further said that alongside unplanned urbanization and increase of population, unhygienic life-leading and feeding, consumption of tobacco, unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and environment pollution are the causes for the non-communicable diseases. The causes are man-created. “We have to underline to prevent the causes. Then the non-communicable diseases will also be reduced,” he said.
According to a survey of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), around 64 lakh people, which are four per cent of country’s total population, get poorer every year due to excessive costs of the healthcare. The people expend more for recovery from non-communicable diseases. The diseases disproportionately affect the poor, impoverish families, and place a growing burden on healthcare system. Around 64 percent of the total health expenditure comes from private sources, while 26 percent comes from public fund and 10 percent from foreign funding and development partners. According a survey of the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 12 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh. Out of them, 1.5 lakh people die annually. The disease attacks two lakh people yearly. On the other hand, there are 70 lakh diabetes patients in the country.
According to the statistics of the government, the burden of the non-communicable diseases surpasses infectious diseases and now accounts for 61 per cent of all adult deaths in Bangladesh. Doctors and rights activists said that that non-communicable disease is a major problem for Bangladesh because the diseases are taking many young lives. They also said that people in the remote areas and the urban slums are heavily deprived of healthcare. Top priority should be given to this issue. A doctor said that the non-communicable disease is on rise because of lifestyle. The lifestyle of the people is not good for health. The eating habits have not improved. Most of the people eat things that are not healthy, he said. He added that consummation of tobacco, and water and environment pollution also worsen the situation.
He suggested the governments to take strengthened initiative in controlling the non-communicable diseases, as the diseases require lifelong treatment that is very expensive.
Non-communicable diseases are the top killers and the major health challenges for Bangladesh but its prevention system is not getting due importance in the existing healthcare system.
Health and rights activists have underlined the need of coordinated initiatives by the concerned departments
of the government in preventing the non-communicable diseases. They suggested for forming ‘Health Promotion Foundation’ in this regard. Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Director of the Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust, who recently conducted a study on non-communicable diseases, on Friday told The New Nation that 40 per cent cancer disease is preventable if steps are taken at the right time, while 80 per cent of the other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, cardiac problem and stroke can be controlled under the prevention system.
He said that the government should take initiative to form ‘Health Promotion Foundation’ in this regard. “The prevention of non-communicable diseases is not getting importance due to the doctor-based existing healthcare system. Formation of the Health Promotion Foundation is needed like several other countries to strengthen the prevention system of the diseases,” he also said. Syed Mahbubul Alam further said that alongside unplanned urbanization and increase of population, unhygienic life-leading and feeding, consumption of tobacco, unhealthy diet, insufficient physical activity and environment pollution are the causes for the non-communicable diseases. The causes are man-created. “We have to underline to prevent the causes. Then the non-communicable diseases will also be reduced,” he said.
According to a survey of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B), around 64 lakh people, which are four per cent of country’s total population, get poorer every year due to excessive costs of the healthcare. The people expend more for recovery from non-communicable diseases. The diseases disproportionately affect the poor, impoverish families, and place a growing burden on healthcare system. Around 64 percent of the total health expenditure comes from private sources, while 26 percent comes from public fund and 10 percent from foreign funding and development partners. According a survey of the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 12 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh. Out of them, 1.5 lakh people die annually. The disease attacks two lakh people yearly. On the other hand, there are 70 lakh diabetes patients in the country.
According to the statistics of the government, the burden of the non-communicable diseases surpasses infectious diseases and now accounts for 61 per cent of all adult deaths in Bangladesh. Doctors and rights activists said that that non-communicable disease is a major problem for Bangladesh because the diseases are taking many young lives. They also said that people in the remote areas and the urban slums are heavily deprived of healthcare. Top priority should be given to this issue. A doctor said that the non-communicable disease is on rise because of lifestyle. The lifestyle of the people is not good for health. The eating habits have not improved. Most of the people eat things that are not healthy, he said. He added that consummation of tobacco, and water and environment pollution also worsen the situation.
He suggested the governments to take strengthened initiative in controlling the non-communicable diseases, as the diseases require lifelong treatment that is very expensive.
