Thursday, July 5, 2012

Early births can derail newborn deaths cut,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

A new research shows Bangladesh had cut newborn deaths to almost double the regional and global averages last decade, but experts warn rising number of premature births could frustrate the success this decade.

Increased medical check-ups during pregnancies, more skilled birth attendants, increased surgical interventions and effective infection management have been seen instrumental in cutting 4 percent annual newborn deaths between 2000 and 2010.

The regional average was 2 percent while the global average was 2.1 percent annually during that period, the Health Policy and Planning journal of the Oxford University showed.

Save the Children and Saving Newborn Lives disseminated the Bangladesh part of the three-year research findings on Thursday in Dhaka.

Terming the success in cut of newborn deaths 'impressive', neonatologist Prof Mohammad Shahidullah said premature births would be a 'challenge' in the next decade.

"Until recently birth asphyxia (breathlessness) and infections were major factors of newborn deaths, but we have techniques and medicines to check them," he said.

Statistics show at least one out of 10 infants is born weeks before the expected date of delivery on completion of 37 weeks from the pregnancy in Bangladesh, and with less than 2.5 kilogram of weight.

These babies are usually born with underdeveloped organs, which lead to many other short- and long-term complications.

They die of infections and many other complications as their immune system is incapable of fighting various germs.

"Overwork during pregnancy is one of the reasons of premature deliveries," Shahidullah, who was also involved with the research, said.

With women empowerment, he said, "more women are likely to work stressful job in future meaning more premature deliveries."

The research showed 45 percent of the under-1 month deaths were due to complications of premature births.

"There is no acceptable solution to prevent premature births in the world," Dr Ishtiaque Mannan, Chief of Party of Save the Children's Maternal and Child Health Integrated Programme (MCHIP), said.

"What we have (interventions) are still at experimental level," he said, "Unless quality care, it is difficult to save babies born with low birth weight."

The research showed Kangaroo Mother Care (skin-to-skin care) can halve the deaths amongst low birth-weight babies.

Presenting the findings, Save the Children's Asia region's newborn health adviser Uzam Syed said despite increases, Bangladesh had the lowest coverage of skilled attendance at birth among the five counties – Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Malawi and Uganda - they examined.

The journal showed in the last decade, the skilled birth attendance had risen 129 percent in Bangladesh and pregnant women's medical check-up 127 percent, management of pneumonia rose 60 percent and the caesarian section jumped 613 percent.

Dr Sayed Rubayet, Project Manager, Saving Newborn Lives, said at least 150 experts of five countries had analysed the newborn health issues for the journal while 40 experts were engaged for Bangladesh part.

Although the research does not show how much investment was made in newborn care in the last decade, it showed in 2008 alone, 14 percent of official development assistance for maternal, neonatal and child health was on newborn health.

It also showed 13 large-scale programmes are being rolled out across Bangladesh for newborn health.

Uzam Syed said funding for maternal, neonatal and child health had increased in the last decade, but out-of-pocket expenditure remained the major source of health financing.

She said the government should invest more to make programmes 'sustainable'.

"Donors might not show their interest on priority issues as they work with their own agenda. It is the government that has to prioritise its own issues."

The research used the United Nations statistics that said 27 babies died within the first month of life per 1,000 births in Bangladesh in 2010. It was 41 in 2000.

However, the latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) showed the newborn deaths were 32 per 1,000 births in 2011. It was 42 in 2000.   

Teesta Water Sharing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina calls for early signing of deal,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called for signing the much-awaited Teesta water sharing agreement with India at an early date for mutual benefits.
She expressed this when former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam called on her at her Jatiya Sangsad office in the capital.
“There is a high expectation of inking the Teesta water sharing deal at an early date,” the PM said.
Deputy Press Secretary to the PM Bijan Lal Dev briefed journalists after the meeting.
During the meeting with Kalam, Hasina reiterated that Bangladesh attaches highest importance to its relationship with India.
She mentioned that bilateral trade between Dhaka and New Delhi has boosted substantially, especially the export of Bangladesh's readymade garment products to India, following reciprocal visits of the premiers of India and Bangladesh to each other's country.
Terming poverty a common enemy of the region, she said, “We should fight together against poverty to achieve our goal.”
Kalam said rural development should be the main focus to alleviate poverty. He stressed the need for regional cooperation, extended up to the Asia-Pacific region, to this end.
He appreciated Digital Bangladesh and Vision 2021 concepts of Bangladesh and lauded the country's sustainable economic development.
He is on a two-day visit to Bangladesh to attend the 33rd foundation day celebration of Cirdap.

Inflation eases to 8.56pc in June,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Inflation declined to 8.56 percent in June from 9.15 percent in May, Golam Mostafa Kamal, director general of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, said on Thursday.

Food inflation fell to 7.08 percent in June from 7.46 percent in May.

Non-food inflation fell to 11.72 percent in June from 12.72 in the previous month, Kamal told reporters in Dhaka.

Bangladesh's average inflation rose to 10.62 percent in the year to June 30 from 8.80 percent a year ago, he said.

UNB adds: The government has set a target of bringing down the inflation rate by 7.2 percent in the current fiscal (2012-2013), but the last year’s data showed it would apparently be difficult to achieve.

The country’s point-to-point inflation rate had come down to single digit after 13 months as it declined by 0.17 percentage point in April to stand at 9.93, down from 10.10 in March.

Mostafa Kamal said the BBS has taken initiatives to introduce new base year to determine the Consumer Price Index (CPI). “The new base year will be 2005-2006. The present base year is 1995-1996.”

Replying to a question, Deputy Director General of the BBS M Mizanur Rahman said the non-food inflation was high in the last fiscal year.

Fuel price hike and subsequent rising electricity, transport and house rent fueled the non-food inflation, he added

HRW report false:Minister for Law Barrister Shafique Ahmed,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Barrister Shafique Ahmed, the minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, on Thursday termed the US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) report false and baseless and urged them not to publish such report in future.

"The HRW report expressing concern over Bangladesh's human rights situation, particularly the activities of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is completely false and baseless," Shafique told newsmen emerging from a meeting with a three-member delegation of HRW led by its Asia Director Brad Adams at the ministry.

"The HRW team was convinced with our explanation that their report was prepared on the basis of false and baseless information," he said, adding, "We requested them not to publish such report in the future."

State Minister for Law Advocate Qamrul Islam said, "The people, who wanted to make the country dysfunctional, have a link with the HRW report. This is high time to take stern action against the NGOs responsible for publishing the baseless report."

Meanwhile, the Rab on Wednesday slammed HRW report accusing it as violation of rights and demand for its abolishment, calling the move to have led by an ill motive and fearing it could encourage militancy.

26 more Rohingyas detained Cox-Bazar,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

The members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Thursday detained 26 Rohingyas who had intruded into Bangladesh territory in Teknaf at different times between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Lt Col Zahid Hasan, commanding officer of BGB-42 battalion told that they detained 26 Rohingyas from different points in Teknaf until 10:00am on Thursday.

The refugees will be sent back in the afternoon, reports our Chittagong quoting the BGB official.

Meanwhile, coastguard personnel pushed back 17 Rohingya refugees around 12:30am on Thursday, said Lt Bodruddoza, coast guard station officer of Teknaf.

They were intercepted at Shah Pori jetty area in Teknaf around 9:30pm Wednesday night, he said.

Bangladesh needs global support for climate adaptation:Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina


BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh deserves high level of international support, technological and financial assistance for its climate change adaptation and implementing mitigation initiatives.

She said this when outgoing Dutch Ambassador Alphons Hennekens met her at her office (PMO).

The Dutch Envoy underscored the need for strengthening regional cooperation and sharing of experiences to face the adverse impacts of global climate change.

After the meeting, PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters.

Hennekens told the Prime Minister that his country will continue its cooperation to Bangladesh in different sectors, including Bangladesh Delta Plan-2012 and training programme.

Hasina said a MoU was signed between the two countries on Bangladesh Delta Plan-2012 as a new vision document for a strategic partnership in sustainable delta management, integrated water resources management, disaster management and adaptation to climate change.

The Press Secretary said the prime minister also mentioned various steps taken by her government to ensure people’s basic rights, including food, shelter health and education.

During the meeting, Hasina and Hennekens also discussed various bilateral issues, including the expansion of trade and business.

Ambassador at-Large M Ziaudding was, among others, was present on the occasion.

APJ Kalam suggests Dhaka, Delhi join hands for green economy,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam on Thursday expressed his "dreams" of enhanced Bangladesh-
India ties for promoting green economy identifying "jute" to be a binding factor for the joint campaign to replace synthetics.

"I have a dream India and Bangladesh will join hands to replace plastics by jute products (globally)," he said as he delivered a lecture sharing his ideas of comprehensive rural development coinciding with the 33rd founding anniversary celebrations of Dhaka-based Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (Cirdap).

Kalam asked the 15-nation inter-government organisation to take initiatives for promotion of the natural fibre for green economy and outlined his model of rural development under the framework of his Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA), an institutional campaign.

The former Indian president also identified "water resource" to be another crucial area of bilateral cooperation saying the scarce resource being shared by the two countries through common rivers was being wasted largely due to "inefficient management".

Kalam, a nuclear scientist who has been dedicating his efforts for the past 10 years to the rural development, also outlined a detailed design for implementing his PURA model in Bangladesh's Khulna region.

The model suggests a holistic approach for development of rural neighbourhoods providing livelihood opportunities and urban amenities to villages under private-public partnership which is run by local government bodies at the grassroots.

Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives
Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, state minister for the ministry Jahangir Kabir Nanak joined the discourse at the Cirdap auditorium while leading economists, sociologists, foreign relation experts and diplomats attended.

Kalam named specific resources of South Asian and Asia
Pacific countries, identified their domestic and regional challenges and suggested ways for their networking and enhanced cooperation.

Later joining a brief press conference, Kalam said despite extreme rivalry between nuclear proliferation nations, he expected South Asia to emerge as an integrated region like the European Union in next 10 year.

"I think South Asia will emerge as an integrated region in next 10 years" discarding their rivalry following footsteps of the EU and ASEAN nations.

Kalam referred to his eyewitnesses' experience of the integrity of the European nations which they developed despite their centuries-long enmity.

Asked if he had had any "guilty feeling" for his pivotal role in nuclear armament of India as he now spearheads campaigns for regional peace and enhanced cooperation, Kalam defended his works saying it was then important for regional power balance.

"You see, big nations around India have had their nuclear weapons at that time, and it was important for India to develop ballistic missiles to make a balance . . . it also did not cost high," he said as asked about the impact of the proliferation on the Indian economy.