Better Health in Bangladesh: UK’s £65M Boost to Country’s SRHR, FP, and MNCH Services
The UK government’s flagship health initiative, the £65 million Better Health in Bangladesh (BHB) program, marked its successful completion at an event held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka. Since its launch in 2018, the program has significantly contributed to improving maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services, family planning (FP), and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Bangladesh.
As the largest bilateral contributor, the UK provided $37 million through the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), managed by the World Bank, to implement 16 disbursement-linked indicators under Bangladesh’s 4th Health Population Nutrition Sector Program (HPNSP). These funds directly supported efforts to enhance maternal care, safe deliveries, modern contraceptive use, and nutritional care for children, addressing key SRHR and health challenges in the country.
The program’s collaborative approach brought together implementing partners like UNFPA, WHO, Management Sciences for Health (MSH), and icddr,b. These organisations offered technical assistance, built health system capacities, and generated data-driven strategies to improve health services. BHB also played a pivotal role in digitising health systems to ensure better service delivery.
Among its remarkable achievements, the BHB program prevented 2,835 maternal deaths and facilitated the safe delivery of over 1.8 million babies. It provided modern family planning services to nearly 350,000 women, screened over 1 million women for cervical cancer, and ensured nutritional care for 420,000 children. Furthermore, BHB accredited over 10,000 pharmacies and medicine shops, strengthening health service accessibility. The program also allocated over £12 million to support Bangladesh’s Covid-19 response, underscoring its adaptability to emerging health challenges.
Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, Executive Chairman at Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), Md. Ashadul Islam, Ex Sr. Secretary, Health Services Division, MoHFW; Dr. Maya Vandenent, ex-Chief of Health, UNICEF Bangladesh, Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid, Professor of Institute of Health Economics at the University of Dhaka, and Dr Halida Hanum Akhter, Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Share-Net Bangladesh, were among the key dignitaries who were present at the event.
Speakers at the event highlighted the program’s role in advancing sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning and maternal care, which are critical for empowering women and reducing health inequities. Despite these achievements, the program’s conclusion raises concerns about sustaining the momentum in addressing SRHR and MNCH needs.
Representatives from the UK and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to continuing collaboration with Bangladesh to address future health challenges and further strengthen its health systems.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
Picture Credit: X/UNFPA Bangladesh