News Flash
DHAKA, April 9, 2025 (BSS) - Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar today laid emphasis on the importance of integrated health-centric thoughts in the country’s overall development strategies.
She made this emphasis during her speech as the chief guest at a virtual event titled "Access to Health Care is a Basic Human Right", said a ministry press release.
The adviser said that it has become increasingly apparent to them during the process of serving the people that how human rights are being systematically violated through inadequate healthcare. As a result, she stressed that the health sector must be given top priority in national development plans, while also recognizing the right to safe food.
She pointed out that the absence of a health-centred approach in the country’s development plans has led to several issues, including the lack of meat and essential nutrients for women in rural and remote areas, the growing antibiotic resistance in young people, the overuse of pesticides in agriculture, and violations of the right to safe food.
To address these challenges, Farida suggested that fundamental changes in health management are needed.
She proposed incorporating the health of both humans and animals as basic human rights within the constitution and taking urgent actions in budget allocations to prioritize these areas.
"The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock's role extends far beyond just ensuring the supply of eggs, milk, and fish to meet nutritional needs. Our work is far broader, involving the health sector, human rights, and fundamental rights," she added.
The webinar also was joined by a range of experts, including public health expert Dr. Abu Jamil Faisal, Professor Dr. Rumana Haque from Dhaka University’s Economics Department, BIDD Director Dr. Sharif Ahmed Chowdhury, Project Director of Naripaksha Samia Afrin, Director of UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternatives) Seema Das Simu, Public Health Researcher and journalist Sushant Sinha, and Member Secretary of the Public Health Lawyers Network and Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Nishat Mahmud.
Dr. Abu Jamil Faisal stressed the need for timely community involvement to uphold the fundamental right to healthcare, alongside the essential of greater awareness. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring accountability in the delivery of healthcare services.
Professor Dr. Rumana Haque commented on the persistent underfunding of the healthcare sector over the past decade and the lack of widespread awareness regarding its use. She urged that healthcare should be prioritized in budgets.
Barrister Nishat Mahmud emphasized the need to revise the constitution to incorporate timely reforms in the healthcare sector, referencing relevant constitutional provisions.
The webinar was organized by the Canter for Law and Policy Affairs, Public Health Lawyers Network, and Health Movement.
