Transfer of Commodities and technologies from China to Bangladesh through MoU between PPD and Government of China
PGovernment of China and PPD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2006 to provide assistance in PPD member countries in the area of Capacity Building, Sharing of Expertise and Technology and Commodity Security and Supply. In the course of this MoU, this year China has given 27 medical equipment (from portable ultrasound to anesthesiology machines) to Bangladesh with an aimed to creating a Center of Excellence for providing Reproductive Health services.
Ministry of health and Family welfare organized a handing over ceremony at Mohammodpur fertility and training center (MFTC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 19th June 2012. H.E AFM Ruhal Haque, Member, PPD Board and Honorable Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh took the delivery of the medical equipment from H.E. Mr. Li Jun, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh.
Handing over ceremony of medical equipment at MFTC , Dhaka
The Minister proclaimed his government commitment towards better family planning services. He added that, government started overhauling MFTC from October 2010 and it turned into a 100-bed hospital for women’s reproductive services. He added these equipment would help offering better family planning services.
Chinese Ambassador Li Jun, who was present at the handover ceremony, hoped the support between the two ‘near neighbors’ would continue as “we are the important members of the developing world.”
Dr Lorna Tumwebaze, Deputy Executive Director of Partners in Population Development attended this event and said that “Equipment support, training and commodity supply (for family planning) are the areas of cooperation that China has been offering to Bangladesh, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Kenya under South-South Cooperation,” She added, PPD acts as an inter-governmental alliance of the 25-nation South-South Cooperation, a way of addressing reproductive health, population and development problems through sharing, exchange and transfer of knowledge, best practices and technologies. “We have particular attention to make it (the Centre) a model center,” she said.
First consultative meeting on Raising Voice from the South held in Dhaka
First Partners Meeting of National Taskforce (NTF) of Bangladesh on Raising Voices from the South for Integration of Human Rights Based Approach to Maternal Health was held on 21st June 2012 at the Directorate General of Family Planning premises in Dhaka. The objective of this meeting was to introduce the project to the National Taskforce members and to share and request feedback on a draft situation analysis report prepared by reviewing international treaties, commitments, gaps in implementations and status of maternal health in Bangladesh.
Participants of the consultative meeting
Mr. AKM Amir Hossain, Director General, Directorate General of Family Planning inaugurated the session. In his speech he focused on the Bangladesh Government commitment towards maternal health and welcomed PPD to be a leader in the integration of Human Rights Based Approach to Maternal Health.
Dr. Lorna Tumwebaze delivered a speech in this occasion where she described on PPD’s commitments and anticipated that all NTF members and other professionals to provide their invaluable inputs to make the project a success one. She proclaimed that her organization believe that the human rights provide a framework for governments to take action, and in particular to ensure that their laws and policies are supportive of maternal health and do not present barriers.
Mr. Md. Zakir Hossain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and PCC of PPD and Dr. Mohammed Sharif, Director (MCH-Services, Directorate General of Family Planning were also attended the meeting . Dr. Mahbubur Rashid, Program officer of PPD made a presentation on the overview of the project and Mr. Hiren, representative of Disabled Regabilitation & Research Association (DRRA) presented on situation analysis on maternal health in the context of Human rights based approach in Bangladesh.
This project is funded by World Bank and PPD partnered with DRRA to implement the project in Bangladesh with the full support of National Taskforce (NTF) for South-South Cooperation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh. The project aims to enhance capacity of relevant government officials and key stakeholders in maternal health to improve their policies and programs and make them more equitable and supportive for women and girls especially the most vulnerable. It is also expected that the project helps countries to establish effective mechanisms of accountability, non-discrimination, partnership building for the prevention of unacceptably needless maternal deaths and injuries accounted each year.
Delegation from the Ministry of Health of Thailand Paid a Visit to the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China
On May 30, 2012, a delegation of four officials headed by the Director-General of the Directorate of Health, Ministry of Health of Thailand paid a visit to the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC).
Mr. Hu Hongtao, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation of NPFPC and other responsible officials met and had a talk with the Thai Delegation. The two sides briefed each other the population situation and strategies for population development of their respective countries and exchanged views on population aging, delivery of reproductive health services and provision of social security and on conducting training activities, experience sharing and strategic discussions in the framework of south to south cooperation. Both sides expressed that the two countries are all members of the Partners in Population and Development and therefore, should further strengthen the cooperative relationships in the area of population and reproductive health and join efforts to promote the healthy development of the Partners of South to South Cooperation in Population and Development.
During the visit, the two sides signed a renewal to the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Population/Reproductive Health”, which laid a good foundation for further cooperation between the two countries.
(Source: NPFPC)
A Delegation from the General Office for Population and Family Planning of Viet Nam Paid a Visit to the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China
On June 4, 2012, a delegation of 15 from Viet Nam headed by the Deputy Director-General of the General Office for Population and Family Planning of Viet Nam paid a visit to the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC). Mr. Hu Hongtao, Director-General of Department of International Cooperation, Mr. Wang Qian, Director-General of Department of Services and Management of Migrant Population, Ms. Zhang Yang, Deputy Director-General of Department of International Cooperation as well as other officials concerned held a talk with the visiting Vietnamese delegation.
The two sides had discussions on topics of further strengthening exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in areas of population, family planning and reproductive health and in promoting the healthy development of the Partners of South to South Cooperation in Population and Development.
While visiting in China, the delegation paid visits to the National Research Institute for Family Planning, the Population and Development Research Center, the China Family Planning Association and the China Contraceptives Supplies Administration. The delegation also travelled to Shanghai and Guangdong for field visits. The visit of the Vietnamese delegation this time is an activity under the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Population, Family Planning and Reproductive Health” and of the annual plan of cooperation between the two countries. The delegation had completed its successful visit to China and left Guangzhou for home on June 12, 2012.
(Source: NPFPC)
