A panel of public health advocates has urged the policymakers to adopt evidence-based decision-making for ensuring a better impact of the government initiatives on the pandemic management.
A combination of mandatory mask-wearing, access to healthcare for critically ill people and mass vaccination is the best way to prevent further spread of Covid-19, they concluded at a virtual event on Wednesday.
“If the policymakers take an evidence-based decision in situation like pandemic, its impact could be much better. Even in case of failure, they still have a political leverage,” Vice Chair of Public Health Foundation, Bangladesh, Dr Taufique Joarder told the dialogue on “Prioritising Covid-19 Prevention and Recovery” organised by the Financial Express (FE).
He called for engaging people in pandemic management to better assess their needs and support them through projects or programmes. “An adaptive leadership at different stages of decision-making can appreciate evidence-based decision,” he said referring to research findings that are useful in dealing with the Covid-19 situation.
Professor of Economics at Yale University, US, Mushfiq Mobarak recommended that the government of Bangladesh should take what he called ‘MTV (mask, treatment and vaccination) approach’ to fighting the coronavirus.
He elaborated that it has been proven around the world that wearing a mask properly is the first armour against the virus. “So, awareness among the masses, regardless of urban and rural areas, is a must,” he said after making a presentation on “Normalising mask-wearing: Scaling Up an Effective Approach.”
Dr Mobarak emphasised the need for ensuring medical treatment for critically ill patients in cities and villages and informing people properly about homecare and time for hospitalisation.
He pointed out that though the mass inoculation drive is facing setbacks due to supply shortages, authorities should keep trying to collect vaccines from different sources as early as possible.
Moderating the discussion, Associate Professor of Institute of Health Economics under the University of Dhaka Dr Shafiun N Shimul mentioned that measures like lockdowns did not work in the Bangladesh context. A high positivity rate in coronavirus tests was recorded in the middle of lockdown, he argued.
“We expected that the positivity rate may remain low if the lockdown is properly imposed cent but that didn’t happened,” he added.
He suggested free mask distribution among people to encourage them to wear mask as in that case, the commoners might consider the matter as important.
Planning Minister MA Mannan, in his speech as chief guest, said the government always welcomes good suggestions from researchers and academics but it is not always easy to implement them at the field level due to the complex administrative system.
Mentioning that there was pressure on the government to impose lockdown during the early days of the pandemic, he said, “Considering the outcomes of the countrywide lockdowns in previous months, I think we wouldn’t be able to continue with that idea (lockdown.”
“There is negative cultural effect on lockdowns and it is not working for us,” he said adding: the government has been trying to keep a balance between life and livelihoods.
He also said the government did not create obstacles to the sectors that are considered the lifeline of the economy while wage labourers were also allowed to move in search of work.
Another panellist, Professor of Economics at the University of Dhaka Rumana Huque maintained that budget is not the problem anymore for the health sector. “It’s the lack of skill and capacity that holds back overall development of the sector.”
She said there is also no record of institutional memories in the ministry due to frequent transfers and appointing officials from a background that is remotely related to health science.
The Editor of the Financial Express Shah Husain Imam gave a welcome address at the programme, Episode 5 of a virtual Dialogue Series.