The 38th meeting of an inter-state organization Partners in Population and Development (PPD) was held today, August 10, Thursday morning at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital. The meeting started on August 8 and ended on August 10, Thursday. Zahid Malek, MP, Minister of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as the host country, led the meeting for Bangladesh.
In this three-day meeting, PPD, an organization of 27 member countries of the developing South-South regional states, will work to increase cooperation in the countries involved through inter-state mutual development. It was agreed in the meeting that the member countries will help each other in health system, population and economic development.
In the meeting, the executive members discussed social development, economic prosperity and sustainable development in the member countries.
South African Minister of Social Development and current President of PPD H. E. Ms Lindiwe Zulu, MP, Minister of Health in the Government of Benin and Executive Member of PPD H. E. Professor Benjamin I.B. Hounkpatin and Minister of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Zahid Malek MP participated in the keynote discussion. Representatives of other member countries expressed their views in the discussion.
In the discussion, Health Minister Zahid Malek said, “Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has worked to convert the huge population of the country into a public resource. The Prime Minister has taken various initiatives to make the women of the country self-reliant. There are currently 65 women members in the National Parliament of Bangladesh, including the Prime Minister and the Speaker. The current government is working tirelessly to improve the health system of the country. However, PPD member countries must work together to play a stronger role in reducing maternal mortality and child mortality in South-South regional developing member countries. Member countries must work together to reduce poverty in developing member countries. Work should be done to increase the scope of work for women. If the empowerment of women is done properly, maternal mortality, child mortality or child marriage will be reduced to a large extent.
“ The next 20th Inter-Ministerial Conference on Population and Development of PPD will be held on October 3, 2023 in Zimbabwe.
