Zubaida calls for sustainable investment, global cooperation in women's health

Dr Zubaida Rahman, vice-president of Ziaur Rahman Foundation and a prominent cardiologist today (12 October) called for sustainable investment, innovative financing and stronger international cooperation to improve women's health, saying traditional development assistance alone cannot meet growing healthcare demands.

Speaking at the World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, Germany, she highlighted the Bangladesh government's initiatives in maternal and newborn healthcare, adolescent nutrition and the prevention of cancers affecting women, according to BNP media cell.

Addressing a session titled "The Moment Is Now: Unlocking New Capital for Women's Health Beyond Aid," she said investing in women's health is not merely a healthcare expenditure but an investment in human capital, economic prosperity and the future of the nation, noting that women account for nearly 51% of Bangladesh's population.

Zubaida Rahman said the government in Bangladesh, formed with a strong public mandate under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is determined to pursue a new generation of transformative investments in women's health extending beyond maternal healthcare.

She said every girl should grow up educated, well-nourished and empowered, adding that the government's Family Cards, Farmer Cards and free education up to the graduation level are helping pave the way for a brighter future.

The government is committed to addressing adolescent anaemia, maternal malnutrition, preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and the growing burden of preventable deadly cancers affecting women, she said.

"These are not isolated interventions, but interconnected investments during the lives of millions of women in the remote areas of Bangladesh," she said, outlining the ambition to build a health system that is friendly to adolescent girls and women, protects their health, respects their dignity and brings healthcare closer to their homes.

Zubaida Rahman said Bangladesh's commitment to women's health has deep historical roots.

She recalled that late president Ziaur Rahman recognised that national development could not be achieved without empowering women and improving the health and wellbeing of families.

His emphasis on rural development, family planning, community participation and women's empowerment helped establish an important foundation for Bangladesh's social development, she said.

She also highlighted the contributions of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, who championed girls' education and women's empowerment.

Her initiatives to expand girls' education, particularly through secondary school stipends, helped create opportunities for generations of young women, Zubaida said.

"These contributions reflected a fundamental understanding: an educated, healthy and empowered woman is the foundation of a strong family and a prosperous nation," she said.

Highlighting the government's plans to transform maternal and newborn healthcare, she said it intended to recruit 100,000 community and wellbeing workers, nearly 80% of whom would be women, along with an additional 25,000 professional midwives to strengthen maternal and newborn services across Bangladesh.

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

She outlined a vision under which no woman in any part of Bangladesh would need to travel beyond her upazila health complex or district hospital to receive comprehensive essential maternal and newborn healthcare.

The government wants upazila health complexes and district hospitals to become dependable centres for safe childbirth and emergency obstetric and newborn care, supported by effective referral systems for complications requiring highly specialised treatment, she said.

A woman's survival during childbirth should never depend on her ability to travel to Dhaka or afford expensive private treatment, she added.

"This is not simply a healthcare reform, but a commitment to equity, dignity and social justice," she said.

She also announced Bangladesh's new women's health initiative, which particularly focuses on preventing avoidable deaths from deadly cancers affecting women.

Zubaida Rahman thanked UNFPA and the European Investment Bank for their partnership and commitment to the people of Bangladesh.

Drawing on Bangladesh's experience, she said the discussions at the summit are particularly important because traditional development assistance alone could not meet the healthcare demands of a growing population.

Innovative financing, combined with national commitment, concessional investment, grant-supported technical assistance and systematic domestic resource mobilisation are needed, she said.

Such financing could strengthen institutions, develop Bangladesh's healthcare workforce and produce measurable improvements in women's health.

She called for a shift from fragmented projects to stronger health systems, from short-term aid to sustainable investment, and from political commitments to measurable results.

"The true measure of a healthcare system is its ability to reach people when and where they need care," she said.

Every girl in Bangladesh deserves a safe childhood, every mother deserves safe childbirth, and every woman in rural and urban areas deserves the opportunity to live a long and productive life, she said.

Bangladesh is determined to turn these aspirations into reality, she added, calling on international partners, development finance institutions, philanthropies and the private sector to join the country in the effort.

She said political commitment, innovative financing and international partnerships could transform women's health, stressing that investing in girls meant investing in the next generation, investing in mothers meant protecting families, and investing in women's health meant investing in the nation's future.

"The moment is now. Let us all act together," she said.

The discussion was chaired by Dr Nigina Munch, Executive Director of UNFPA's DNK.

Ghana's Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Bangladesh's Health Minister Dr Sakhawat Husain, Brigitte Pickel, European Investment Bank Vice-President Murek Mora, and Dr Ziauddin Haider, special assistant to the Prime Minister on health affairs in Bangladesh attended the event among other distinguished guests.

The summit, which began yesterday, will continue until tomorrow under the theme "Building Resilience from Crisis: Innovating for Health."

The event brings together policymakers, scientists, medical experts, business leaders, civil society representatives and international organisations to discuss global health challenges, preparedness for future crises, and ways to improve healthcare through new technologies and innovation.