On the third annual Universal Health Coverage Day on 12 December 2016, first of its kind Youth Summit on Universal Health Coverage was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. SERAC-Bangladesh organized the summit in association with USAID, EngenderHealth, Bondhu, Sharenet Bangladesh and Universal Health Coverage Coalition. During the day-long summit, more than 150 participants attended from all over the country. They discussed on different panels regarding the healthcare rights and privileges and the participation of the youth to fulfill the health target based on SDG, announced by the UN.
In a panel discussion, renowned health specialist Prof. Dr. Rashid-e-Mahbub, director of the Health Economics institute of University of Dhaka, Prof. Syed Abdul Hamid, and SERAC-Bangladesh’s executive director S. M. Shaikat discussed on health rights. Journalist Aminul Islam Sujon moderated the panel.
Moments from the Summit
Panel discussion on Experts’ Dialogue on Access to and Availability of Quality Life-saving Reproductive and Maternal Health Medicines: Current Status and Opportunities to Achieve’ was moderated by Dr. Tareq Salahuddin. Department of pharmaceutical administration’s deputy director, Dr. Sagir Ahmed, Mr. Golam Kibria of Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and A. A. Selim Barami, executive director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals joined the panel discussion. Alongside, Ms. Anika Bine Habib moderated an engaging panel discussion on “Men’s participation towards women’s health care”.
Experts prioritized on young people to be effectively engaged and informed to reach health targets for the country. With deliberate participation, young people raised health issues faced by them and emphasized how to improve the quality of healthcare making it more youth friendly, ensuring access to quality medicines, and interventions to include families and educational institutions to make comprehensive sexuality education more accessible for youths. They also raised voices to include health as a fundamental human right in the Bangladesh constitution.
