Experts on Monday emphasised the need for more researches to explore effective ways to tackle childhood mortality and morbidity from infectious diseases.
At a roundtable in the capital they observed that most of the vaccines for various child diseases available in the local market were mostly beyond the affordability of the poor.
More researches should be made to find out ways for affordable treatment of infectious diseases which are most responsible for child mortality and morbidity, they said in the programme titled ‘Need of research to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity: opportunities and challenges in Bangladesh’.
Child Sight Foundation, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance at the University of Sydney, Australia and University of South Asia, Dhaka jointly organised the roundtable in MA Matin Auditorium, University of South Asia at Banani.
In order to address inequity in global child morbidity, mortality, and conduct research and utilise their results in advocating rights policy, a new centre named ‘Centre for Global Health, Bangladesh’ was announced in the roundtable.
National Professor MR Khan attended the programme as chief guest.
He said infectious diseases are major causes of childhood mortality and morbidity that needed to be prevented by vaccines and other measures.
He underscored mass vaccination of pneumococcal for pneumonia, rubella vaccine, rota virus, typhoid, which were available but too costly for the poor.
Chief researcher of the University of Sydney Clinical Research team at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance Professor Robert Booy presented the keynote presentation.
He shaded light on current and future challenges of vaccination.
He said although developing countries mostly needed vaccines like rotavirus, typhoid, hepatitis B, ironically they were too costly for the poor.
He also underscored the need for implementing the influenza vaccination in Bangladesh and prioritised the need for vaccination against TB and malaria.
The director of the newly developed Global Health Centre, Bangladesh Professor MA Muhit, who is also pro-vice-chancellor of the South Asia University, said the new centre would address major causes of morbidity and mortality globally, especially in developing countries like Bangladesh.
The centre will provide screening, treatment and education to make innovative and creative advances in the critical global health issues in preventing diseases, he added.
He added that their aim was not only to conduct high-quality applied research, but also to advocate the use of this research to improve child health of underserved population throughout Bangladesh and around the globe.
University of South Asia, CSF, North Bengal Medical College, Sirajganj and the NCIRS at the University of Sydney, Australia will be collaborating with the centre.
Muhit also informed that the centre would be open to all non-resident Bangladeshi to provide a platform for contributing to the country.
Among others, Nazmun Nahar, head of clinical services at Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation for Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, and CSF president Syedur Rahman spoke at the roundtable.