Public Health Watch Partner Launches Report on TB Policy in Bangladesh

Public Health Watch’s partner in Bangladesh, BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), launched TB Policy in Bangladesh: A Civil Society Perspective in Dhaka. Open Society Institute chairman George Soros joined BRAC chairperson Fazle Abed, and Public Health Watch’s lead researcher in Bangladesh, Afsan Chowdhury, for the event.

TB is a leading cause of adult mortality and preventable death in Bangladesh. An estimated 70,000 individuals die from TB each year in Bangladesh—one death every 10 minutes. TB hits the poor and the most economically productive age group hardest, wreaking devastating economic and social impact. Yet many Bangladeshis are unaware of the fact that TB is curable and that treatment is available at public health facilities free of charge. Chowdhury explained, “ TB has not only been killing silently for long but has also been invisible because of lack of attention.”

To increase public awareness of TB, the report argues that a multifaceted advocacy and social mobilization strategy is needed. At the launch, Soros echoed this recommendation, stating, “TB is curable. Drugs are widely available. All we need now are more awareness campaigns with the participation of nongovernmental organizations.”

Abed noted, “NGOs are traditionally known as service providers. But their role in promoting and demanding greater public sector accountability for delivering effective TB policies and services is not widely recognized. The report has highlighted this new frontier for NGOs. Recommendations made in the report will be very helpful in enhancing [civil society’s] role in all aspects of the program.”

Chowdhury, who is also the Advocacy Director at BRAC, is an advocacy, communications, and social mobilization specialist and former journalist who has worked on TB issues for the past decade.

Download a copy of the English version of TB Policy in Bangladesh: A Civil Society Perspective.

A Bangla version of the report is available upon request. To receive a copy, please contact Afsan Chowdhury at afsan.c@brac.net.