Speakers at a workshop in Khulna on Wednesday urged all to raise mass awareness of health and hygiene and eliminate superstitions from the society.
Terming ignorance and superstitions the greatest obstacles in the way of developing a healthy nation, they said all the infectious and non-infectious diseases could be prevented by taking necessary steps at proper times.
Bangladesh Centre for Communication Programmes along with the Bureau Health Education, Directorate General of Health Services and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised the daylong workshop, styled ‘health education and promotion’ at a city hotel.
Senior government officials, civil society leaders, NGO and public representatives and journalists attended the workshop. Nazrul Haque of BCCP, Kaniz Sultana of Khulna Civil Surgeon office and Khulna Press Club general secretary SM Zahid Hossain presented papers on infectious and non-infectious diseases, malnutrition and role of media in creating mass awareness of diseases.
In the country more than 58 per cent under-5 children weigh below normal, 51 per cent children’s growths are less than normal, more than 50 per cent women suffer from weakness, and 70 percent pregnant women from anaemia, the papers said.
The papers attributed causes of the diseases like cancer, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease to smoking tobacco and termed them non-infectious whereas bronchitis, malaria, HIV/AIDAS, avian influenza and leprosy were looked upon as infectious diseases by the papers.
Chaired by Khulna divisional deputy director of health, Jebunnesa Khatun, the workshop was addressed by Khulna divisional health director Aftab Uddin, and Khulna Press Club president Wadudur Rahman, amongt others.
Source: The Daily Commercial Times
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