Experts recommend integrating birth registration with health facility operations

Speakers at a workshop today (22 December) recommended that birth registration processes be integrated into health facility operations to enhance accessibility.

Nari Maitree, with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), hosted the workshop for journalists on the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system in Bangladesh. 

Muhammad Ruhul Quddus, country lead at GHAI, said, "We want the government to make the existing birth and death registration rules straightforward, inclusive, and accessible to all. A functional CRVS system is essential for effective governance, planning, and protecting individual rights."

He suggested integrating birth registration processes into health facility operations to improve accessibility. 

Additionally, he urged journalists to work with Vital Strategies and Nari Maitree to advocate for CRVS reforms.

He stressed the importance of simplifying and streamlining birth and death registration processes.

Sefat Jahan, project manager at Nari Maitree, provided an in-depth analysis of existing birth and death registration policies, along with implementation challenges and barriers. 

In a plenary session led by Mir Masrur Zaman from Channel i, journalists collaborated to draft a vision for CRVS-related media coverage. 

Masrur Zaman encouraged journalists to adopt innovative approaches, emphasising the importance of crafting solution-oriented reports that align with societal needs and media house policies.

Shaheen Akter Dolly, executive director of Nari Maitree, called for sustained media advocacy to address challenges in the CRVS system. 

She urged journalists to explore how legal frameworks can be strengthened to ensure inclusivity and accessibility.