On behalf of the visit of Ms. Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary General and SUN Movement Coordinator and to improve SUN activities in Bangladesh, a meeting was held on April 03 2017 at 7.00 pm at Surma Hall, Hotel Sonargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Mr. Mohammed Nasim, MP, Honourable Minister, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) of Bangladesh attended as a Chief Guest, Md. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan ndc, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Industries (MoI) as Special Guest, Ms. Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary General and SUN Movement Coordinator as Guest of Honour and the meeting was Chaired by Mr. Md. Sirazul Islam, Secretary, Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW).
Along with them Professor Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, Director General, Directorate General of Health Services, Mr. Suvash Chandra Sarker, Additional Secretary, MoHFW, Dr. Md. Ruhul Amin Talukder, Joint Secretary, MOHFW, Dr Ahmed Mushtaque Raza Chowdhury, Vice Chairman and advisor to BRAC and member of SUN Global Lead Group, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Senior Director, Nutrition and Clinical Services Division, icddr,b as well as members of SUN UN Network, SUN Civil Society Alliance (CSA), SUN Business Network (SBN), SUN Donor Network , SUN Academia Network and other participants were present the meeting.
Chief Guest in his speech mentioned Bangladesh has made a tremendous improvement in Health sector that made it a role model to the globe. Under the directives from H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh, revitalization was made in BNNC (Bangladesh National Nutrition Council), NPAN (National Plan of Action for Nutrition) is under the process of finalization. We need multisectoral coordination among SUN Global platform, UN Agencies, Donor Partners, civil societies to implement the NPAN activities.
As a Guest of Honour, Ms. Gerda Verburg, UN Assistant Secretary General, and SUN Movement Coordinator mentioned about steps taken by Bangladesh to improve the nutrition situation that has made Bangladesh one of the first line in South East Asia region in nutrition success. She also committed to ensuring SUN participation along with UN Agencies in Bangladesh nutrition activities.
Md. Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan ndc, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Industries (MoI) as Special Guest delivered that challenges remain in malnutrition in all its form including micronutrient deficiencies. Food system strengthening through the public-private partnership will contribute to national nutrition agenda including food quality and safety. Ministry of Industries (MoI) is taking the lead to address micronutrient deficiencies through food fortification at a population level. He also mentioned activities of MoI in relation to the improvement of Nutrition.
Mr. Md. Sirazul Islam, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW), as chair of the meeting conveyed his heartiest thanks to all participants of the SUN multisectoral platform meeting. He also wishes to make multi-stakeholders’ collaboration for the betterment of nutrition activities.
In 2010, as one of the Global leaders, H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Hon’ble Prime Minister Bangladesh declared commitment to the SUN Movement in the global forum. Since the inception of SUN in April 2010, under the leadership of SUN Focal Point, Bangladesh had made tangible progress in bringing Government Ministries, UN Agencies, Development Partners, Civil Society Partners, Academic and partners to scale up nutrition activities and link with accountability and governance. SUN has also looked into the smart investment in nutrition and linked with Global Nutrition Report.
