Save the Children hosted the closing event of its successful Shongzog project recently in the capital, celebrating its significant contributions to improving healthcare for first-time parents in Bangladesh.
The event highlighted the project's achievements in enhancing postpartum care and increasing the adoption of postnatal family planning methods.
The project, aimed at improving maternal and child health, was a collaborative effort between Save the Children, the Department of Family Planning, and the Resource Integration Center (RIC).
It operated in eight upazilas of Noakhali and Madaripur districts from 2019, focusing on raising awareness about institutional deliveries and providing vital postnatal care support to first-time parents.
The closing ceremony was attended by a distinguished group of government officials and experts, including Suman Sengupta, country director, Save the Children in Bangladesh; Dr SM Abdullah Al Murad, line director, MNC and AH, Directorate General of Health Services; and Dr Ashrafi Ahmad, director general, Directorate General of Family Planning, who graced the event as the chief guest.
Dr Ashrafi Ahmad praised the Shongzog project's innovative approaches, including the introduction of the Pre-Discharge Counselling Checklist (PNC) and invitation cards for first-time mothers.
She expressed hope for the further expansion of similar initiatives, urging continued focus on improving maternal health services and encouraging field workers.
In his speech, Sengupta shared his belief in the project's success, saying: "Shongzog has made a real difference in maternal and child health. With strong partner and government support, I believe this project is ready to scale and become part of our national health system."
Dr Md Rafiqul Islam Talukder, Line Director of the CCSDP Unit, emphasized the importance of addressing unwanted pregnancies and expressed his vision of expanding Shongzog's initiatives nationwide.
A key achievement of the project was the "Zero Home Delivery" campaign, which encouraged institutional deliveries to improve safety and reduce maternal and neonatal risks. The implementation of the PNC Pre-Discharge Counseling Checklist has also been a game-changer, now being used in government healthcare centres to elevate postnatal care.
The closing event celebrated the successful collaboration between Save the Children, government bodies, and local communities, with the Shongzog project now set to inspire future initiatives for improving healthcare and family planning services for first-time parents across Bangladesh.
