Call to control parasitic diseases on urgent basis
They said co-ordination among the government and non-government organisations is important to control the mosquito-borne diseases.
The speakers said Filariasis is endemic in 32 districts, Kala-azar in 34 and Malaria in 13 districts.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The diseases are spreading to the other areas of the country through vectors, they added.
The workshop titled ' National policy on control of parasitic diseases and strategy for elimination of Filariasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis' was jointly organised by Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica), World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at Biam auditorium in the city.
Speaking at the inaugural session as chief guest Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said intestinal parasites like Amoebiasis and Soil-transmitted Helminthiasis are also prevalent among the children with high magnitudes throughout the country.
The health problems that could be easily controlled are increasing due to contaminated food intake, unhygienic sanitation and lack of health knowledge, he added.
The draft policy is formulated with a view to achieve optimal health status for all people and develop a comprehensive health system at all levels of care on parasitic and vector-borne diseases.
Meanwhile, the strategic plan highlighted elimination of lymphatic filariasis from the country by 2015 and administration of antihelmenthic drugs to one hundred percent of all school-age children at risk of morbidity by 2010.
Director General of Health Services Dr Shahadat Hossain, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue, WHO representative to Bangladesh Dr Duangvadee Sungkhobol, Resident Representative of Jica Akio Arai and Additional Secretary to health ministry Aminul Islam Bhuiyan also spoke at the inaugural session.
Later two sessions were held where experts from Japan, Thailand, WHO and government authorities put their recommendations to include into the draft policy for its better implementation.