A two-day international conference, the "International Conference on Appropriate Technology for Healthcare in LMICs (ICATH-LMIC 2026)", brought together experts to discuss affordable, accessible, and sustainable health technologies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The conference got underway at 9:30am on Sunday, at Dhaka University's Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building.
The conference is jointly organized by Dhaka University's Department of Biomedical Physics and Technology, Buet's Department of Biomedical Engineering, BMU's Department of Clinical Oncology, BIBEAT Ltd., and the Relevant Science and Technology Society, Bangladesh.
In his address as chief guest, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain said Bangladesh's scientists, physicians, and engineers have shown they can innovate effective, up-to-date health technologies even with limited resources.
He reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting and incentivizing homegrown innovation, research, and technology-driven healthcare expansion, and stressed the need to cut import dependence by developing and manufacturing medical equipment and technology domestically.
He added that scientists, researchers, doctors, and entrepreneurs must work together to develop affordable, appropriate health technologies for people in remote parts of the country — innovations he said would improve healthcare standards, save foreign currency, and serve the public good.
Speaking as special guest, DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam said the core purpose of higher education and research should be applying knowledge and innovation for human welfare, calling affordable, accessible, sustainable health technology for LMICs a pressing need of the times. He noted that DU's Department of Biomedical Physics and Technology has long worked at the intersection of medicine, engineering, and basic science to advance public health.
The vice-chancellor further noted that homegrown research has driven notable progress in telemedicine, diabetic foot care, newborn healthcare, and various diagnostic technologies. He emphasized expanding the reach of innovative technology, boosting local manufacturing capacity, and opening up research findings for wider use, expressing confidence that coordinated efforts among government, universities, research institutions, and industry can make the country's healthcare more effective and people-centred.
Special guests also included Buet Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Abdul Hasib Chowdhury; Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr FM Siddiqui; National Professor AK Azad Khan, President of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (BADAS); Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO Representative to Bangladesh; and Professor Emeritus Brian H Brown of the University of Sheffield, UK.
The session was chaired by Professor Syed Akram Hossain, chairman of the Department of Clinical Oncology at Bangladesh Medical University. Serving as conference chairman, Khondkar Siddique-e Rabbani, honorary professor in Dhaka University's Department of Biomedical Physics and Technology, delivered the keynote paper. Professor Taufiq Hasan, chairman of Buet's Department of Biomedical Engineering, also presented a paper at the opening session.
Renowned scientists, researchers, physicians, engineers, policymakers, and health-sector experts from Bangladesh and abroad are taking part in the conference.
Over the two days, discussions will cover appropriate healthcare technology, innovation, research, policy support, and international cooperation.