RAJSHAHI, July 11, 2024 (BSS) - Family planning everywhere in society can be the crucial means of building a healthy nation together with taking it forward successfully.

There is no alternative to equal participation of both men and women in family planning activities. Utmost emphasis should be given to reaching the existing family planning services to the urban and rural areas to attain desired yields in this field.

Administrative officials and experts came up with the observation while addressing a discussion on the issue here today.

The Department of Family Planning (DFP) organized the discussion at its office conference hall to mark World Population Day 2024.

"Leave no one behind, count everyone" is the theme for the day this year highlighting the importance of investing in data collection to understand issues, tailor solutions and drive progress. Financial investment is also crucial.

Commissioner of Rajshahi Division Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir addressed the discussion as chief guest, while DFP Divisional Director Dewan Murshed Kamal was in the chair.

Deputy Director of the Department of Health Dr Habibur Rahman and Director of TMSS Medical College and Hospital Brig Gen (Retd) Zamilur Rahman also spoke. DFP Deputy Director Dr Kustary Amina Queen welcomed the participants.

Dr Dewan Humayun Kabir stressed the need for the engagement of more women for the sake of the country's national development.

He, however, said the present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has adopted various time-fitting programmes, including adolescent health, women's education and employment, to attain cherished development.

To this end, community clinics and union health centres were established in the country's remote areas. With this breakthrough, health services reached the doorsteps of rural communities through the Department of Family Planning.
 
Dewan Murshed Kamal said utmost emphasis should be given to ensuring planned family through discouraging unwanted pregnancy and child marriage everywhere in society.
 
All the government and non-government organizations concerned and the community as a whole should come forward and work together to resist child marriage and child pregnancy as it's the precondition for the improvement of child and maternal health.
 
Murshed Kamal said the present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing diversified programmes to free the society from child marriage.
 
Terming child marriage as a gross violation of human rights he also said it is vital to increase awareness regarding the negative impacts of child marriage.

Dr Kustary Amina Queen told the meeting that they are providing various reproductive healthcares, including maternal, antenatal, delivery, postnatal, neonatal, menstrual regulation, post-operative, maternal nutrition and adolescent reproductive, everywhere in the district.

On the occasion, prizes and crests were distributed among the best family planning workers and service providers for their laudable contribution to this field.