Bangladesh advances on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) health indicators, with important progresses on under-five mortality that persistently declined from 36 per 1,000 live births in 2015 to 29 in 2018 and the neo-natal mortality rate that decreased to 16 per 1,000 live births in 2018 from 20 in 2015. Both these achievements represent achievements of the SDG targets of 2025
The information was revealed at a Health SDGs Progress Review Workshop, organized by Planning Wing, Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with support from World Health Organization (WHO) Bangladesh, held on 17 February 2020 in Dhaka.
Commenting the new findings, Mr. Zahid Maleque MP, Minister for Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) said, “progress in achieving health related SDG targets is possible due to concerted efforts of different ministries and directorates of the government, development partners, non-government organizations and private sectors.”
Malnutrition has been reducing over the past decade and stunting is now below the WHO ‘critical’ threshold of 40%. Stunting (height-for-age) of children decreased from 36.1% in 2014 to 31% in 2017. Wasting also decreased from 14.3% to 8% during the same period.
“We have aligned the 4th Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Programme (4th HPNSP) - with the SDGs and this is the first of the three successive phases in realizing the SDGs and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030” added Mr Zahid Maleque.
Together with the successes, the MOHFW also emphasized areas where the country is facing challenges for attaining the desired indicators, including reduction in maternal mortality ratio and proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel.
The maternal mortality ratio was 181 per 100,000 live births in 2015, which was reduced to 169 in 2018, still below the milestones for this indicator which is 105 in 2020 with the threshold of 85 by 2025 and target of 70 by 2030.
Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel was 42.1% in 2014, which increased to 53% in 2017 while the milestones for is 65% by 2020, 72% by 2025 and target is 80% by 2030.
Presided over by Mr. Md. Ashadul Islam, Secretary, Health Services Division, MOHFW, the workshop was addressed by Principal Coordinator (SDGs), Ms. Zuena Aziz as the special guest; Secretary, Medical Education and Family Welfare Mr. Md. Ali Noor as the co-chair and WHO Country Representative to Bangladesh Dr Bardan Jung Rana as the Guest of Honor. A total 150 participants form different government sectors, development partners, academic and research institutes and civil society were present in the event.
Presenting the progress of health-related SDG indicators, Dr A. E. Md. Muhiuddin Osmani, Joint Chief, Planning Wing of Health Services Division said, Bangladesh prepared first Voluntary National Review (VNR) on SDGs in 2017, and Government is now in the process of preparing the second VNR in 2020.
WHO remains committed in supporting the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to achieve the Health SDGs and to improve health services as well as strengthening the systems to support overall development of the sector.
