Dr Zubaida calls for global partnerships, innovative financing for women's health

Dr Zubaida Rahman has called for stronger international partnerships and innovative financing to transform women's healthcare in Bangladesh.

"Traditional development assistance alone cannot meet the healthcare demands of our growing population. Innovative financing combined with national commitment, concessional investment, grant-supported technical assistance and sustainable domestic resources are needed," she said.

She made the remarks while addressing a high-level session titled "The Moment is Now: Unlocking New Capital for Women's Health Beyond Aid" at the World Health Summit in Berlin on Sunday.

"Our country will, Insha'Allah, demonstrate how political commitment, innovative financing and international partnerships can transform women's health," said Dr. Zubaida, Vice-President of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

She urged international partners, development finance institutions, philanthropic organisations and the private sector to join Bangladesh in strengthening women's healthcare.

"A shift from fragmented projects to stronger health systems, from short-term aid to sustainable investments, and from political commitments to measurable results is required," she said.

Dr Zubaida said investment in women's health was not merely an expenditure on healthcare but an investment in human capital, economic prosperity and the future of nations, noting that women account for almost 51 percent of Bangladesh's population.

She said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, was committed to expanding investment in women's health beyond maternal care to address adolescent anaemia, maternal malnutrition, preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and deadly cancers affecting women.

The government's broader initiatives, including Family Cards, Farmer Cards and free education up to graduation level, are also helping create opportunities for girls and women, she said.

Highlighting the need to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare, Dr. Zubaida said the government planned to recruit 100,000 community and well-being workers, almost 80 percent of whom would be women, alongside 25,000 additional professional midwives to expand services across the country.

The initiatives aim to promote safe normal childbirth, reduce unnecessary medical interventions and ensure that every woman receives skilled and compassionate maternity care, she said.

"No woman in any corner of Bangladesh should need to travel beyond her upazila health complexes, sub-district tier, or district hospitals to receive comprehensive essential maternal and newborn healthcare," she said.

She stressed that a woman's survival during childbirth should never depend on her ability to travel to Dhaka or afford expensive private treatment, describing the goal as a commitment to equity, dignity and social justice.

Dr. Zubaida also highlighted the contributions of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia to rural development, family planning, girls' education and women's empowerment.