Bangladesh selected for a two-year collaborative project on strengthening preparedness and response to Covid-19 and other emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) is certainly a positive development, one that we should take full advantage of with regard to being better prepared against diseases.
Covid-19 may be behind us, but its effects, coupled with what we have seen dengue to our nation this year, offers harsh reminders that as a nation, we are simply caught unprepared too often when it comes to fighting infectious diseases.
While this project should play an effective role in improving the healthcare landscape, response mechanisms, and greater access to health services in Bangladesh, we cannot rely only on such projects and must take pro-active actions ourselves to fortify our health care system.
Investing in a comprehensive public health infrastructure continues to be of paramount importance; From well-equipped healthcare facilities to an efficient surveillance system, a robust infrastructure can act as the first line of defense. Furthermore, training healthcare professionals to identify and respond swiftly to infectious diseases also ensures a rapid and effective containment strategy.
While the project is an admirable decision taken by those responsible for conceptualizing it, what also cannot be ignored is the fact that Bangladesh was chosen as one of five nations as countries at risk of disasters caused by natural hazards, the effects of which have been made worse by climate change.
To that end, while Bangladesh needs to do better with regard to offering better health to its people, it also, once again, has every right to point fingers at the richer nations who continue to be the primary culprits of climate change, and whose disregard nations like Bangladesh pay for with the loss of life.
