Roundtable on maternal health held at UNOPS Dhaka
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Bangladesh hosted a roundtable today titled "Transforming Maternal Health: Potential Role of Digital Tools in Bangladesh."
Dr Shams El Arifeen, a distinguished public health expert at the ICDDR,B, addressed the event as a keynote speaker, and Sudhir Muralidharan, UNOPS Bangladesh country manager, also spoke among others, according to a press release.
Dr Shams El Arifeen emphasised the potential of digital tools to overcome the geographical and socio-economic barriers that limit maternal health access in rural areas.
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Sudhir Muralidharan emphasised the importance of digital solutions in strengthening healthcare systems and addressing maternal health gaps.
They discussed exploring digital platforms for remote consultations and guidance for expectant mothers, particularly in underserved communities.
They also discussed utilising mobile applications to disseminate maternal health information, ensuring consistent prenatal and postnatal care.
They discussed leveraging electronic health records for accurate data and insights, supporting data-driven decisions in public health policy.
Participants expressed optimism about the potential of digital tools to bring impactful change in maternal health services, contributing to Bangladesh's Sustainable Development Goals targets.
UNOPS also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting sustainable health solutions through strategic partnerships and digital innovation, empowering communities, and improving health outcomes for mothers across Bangladesh.
Despite Bangladesh's progress in reducing maternal mortality over recent years, challenges remain, especially in rural and underserved communities where approximately 60% of women face limited access to skilled healthcare providers.
High maternal mortality rates underscore the urgent need to bridge gaps in maternal healthcare by exploring scalable, digital solutions. The rapid digital transformation in Bangladesh presents a valuable opportunity to use mobile and internet-based tools to improve maternal health access, data management, and timely medical intervention.
