Bangladesh becomes role model: Maleque

Health Minister Zahid Maleque Thursday said Bangladesh has become role model for controlling coronavirus as the country successfully handled three waves of the deadly virus.

"When almost entire world was struggling to combat the leathal virus...we have taken multiple measures under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to protect lives of the people from the disease," he told a discussion, an official release said. National Institute of Kidney Disease and Urology (NIKDU) organized the discussion at the National Kidney Institute marking the World Kidney Day.

Secretary of Health Education Division Saiful Islam Badal, Director General of Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, kidney specialists and officials, among others, addressed the discussion with NIKDU Director Dr Mizanur Rahman in the chair.

The health minister said Bangladesh secured eighth positions in the world for its success on combating highly contagious virus. The mass vaccination campaign has drawn attention to the world as Bangladesh very successfully vaccinated 1.20 crore people in a single day, which helps the country to achieve one of top positions on inoculation drive, he added.

Maleque said, "Bangladesh has so far inoculated nearly 22 crore doses of vaccines. Of the total, 12.5 crore people received first dose of vaccines, 8.5 crore second dose while 50 lakh people received booster dose." He attributed the controlling of third wave of Covid-19 that hit Bangladesh mid-January this year, to expansion of vaccination coverage, including booster dose.

"We have laid emphasis on vaccination coverage as it (vaccine) has reduced both fatalities and rising of positivity rate of Covid-19... more than 80 percent deaths linked to coronavirus are unvaccinated people," the minister added. There are around two crore kidney patients in the country, he said adding "Roughly 20,000 to 30,000 people are being infected by kidney ailment everyday in the country.”

     

Health experts said the number of kidney patients has increased alarmingly as a huge number of people in the country are now somehow suffering from kidney disease. Unhealthy lifestyle and lack of awareness lead to kidney ailment, they people have to control high blood pressure and diabetics as well as to avoid smoking for preventing kidney ailments. Describing kidney ailment as s silent killer disease, they urged the people to check overweight and to have safe drinking water for keeping kidney healthy. The health experts stressed the need for launching massive awareness campaign across the country on kidney disease for ensuring save and healthy life.