PM lauds Dhaka-Delhi coop on Covid pandemic

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the exchange of Covid-related medicines and medical equipment between Bangladesh and India during the surge of the pandemic has been considered a role-model of ‘good neighbourhood’ diplomacy.

“The whole world has seen how two neighbours support each other and work together during the time of crisis,” she said in a video message to the inaugural ceremony of the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) at Jamnagar in the Indian state of Gujrat.

She said that better outcome in ensuring basic healthcare for all is expected if the traditional medicine is practiced in tandem with the modern medicine.

“I believe, if the traditional medicine is practiced in tandem with the modern medicine, we may expect better outcome in ensuring basic healthcare for all, as envisioned in the SDG goal 3,” she said.

The prime minister also said that emergence of Covid-19 pandemic has showed the need to revisit our focus in ensuring good health and well-being of the people.

She expressed confidence that the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine will emerge as a global hub for evidence-based research and standards for traditional medicine.

She appreciated the Centre’s strategic focus on sustainability, equity and innovation.

“It is important that the ancient knowledge-base of traditional medicine be combined with modern science and technologies to optimize its benefits,” she said.

In Bangladesh,  Hasina said, traditional medicine has always been a part of its history and cultural tradition. "Our government integrated traditional medicine into our National Health Policy of 2011," she mentioned.

“We have officially recognized the potential contribution of Unani, Ayurvedic and Homeopathic medical services to our efforts in achieving SDG-3,” she said.

She said that there are 73 institutes in Bangladesh that offer four-year diploma courses and four colleges that provide Bachelor degrees in traditional medicines.

In addition to offering outpatient services by traditional medicine experts, most of the district and sub-district level public health facilities are equipped with medicinal plant gardens, she added.

She mentioned that Bangladesh is looking forward to partnering with the Global Centre on critical issues like quality control, curriculum development and regulatory standards.

“We shall positively consider joint medical research projects in areas of our mutual interest," the PM said.

She said that the efforts of the government of India, under the dynamic leadership Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic and achieving massive vaccination coverage are really commendable.

She mentioned that Bangladesh has also successfully controlled the pandemic and the first dose of vaccine covered 100 per cent of the targeted population while second dose 97 per cent.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and WHO director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus also spoke at the programme that held in Gujarat’s Jamnagar in India. 

The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) is a knowledge centre for traditional medicine.

As part of WHO’s overall traditional medicine strategy, it has a strategic focus on evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity, and innovation and technology to optimize the contribution of traditional medicine to global health and sustainable development.