DHAKA, Dec 5, 2019 (BSS) – Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid
Maleque today urged pregnant women to give birth their children at
institutional child delivery centres to help cutting down the infant and
maternity death rates.
The minister came up with the call at a press conference at the
Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), marking the Family Welfare
Services and Campaign Week.
The DGFP will observe the week from December 7 to 12 with the theme ‘Let
Take Family Planning Service, Prevent Adolescence Pregnancy’, he said.
Maleque said, “Bangladesh has become successful in achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Now, our target is to achieve the
Sustainable Development goals”.
Reducing adolescence pregnancy was emphasized in the SDG index, he said,
adding, “It is still a challenge for us”.
The minister underscored the need for encouraging the married female
adolescence about taking institutional delivery service and proper use of
family planning methods along with encouraging all married couples to use
family planning methods.
Noting that the rate of adolescence pregnancy in the country is now 113
in per lakh, he said it should come down to 50 per lakh by 2030.
He said a total of eight divisions, 64 districts, 488 upazilas, 60
mother and child welfare centres, 4008 union health and family welfare
centres will simultaneously observe the week across the country.
Medical Education and Family Welfare Division Secretary Shaikh Yusuf
Harun, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General (DG)
Professor Abul Kalam Azad and DGFP DG Quazi AKM Mohiul Islam were present at
the press conference, among others.