Dhaka, 14 December 2021 – The Government of Sweden supports Bangladesh in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by channelling 76 000 000 SEK (8 500 000 USD) to WHO Bangladesh. Through the project “Strengthening the Health System in Bangladesh”, the partnership between the Government of Sweden and WHO Bangladesh will invigorate the national health financing to amplify the country’s capacity for detection and containment of antimicrobial resistance, improve mental health care, uphold the quality of health services in Cox’s Bazar district, and ultimately reach Universal Health Coverage.
Achieving Universal Health Coverage is essential to meet the Sustainable Development Goals on health and entails that everyone can access health care without suffering from financial hardship. The Government of Bangladesh is committed to ensuring that the Universal Health Coverage targets are met by 2030. To this end, the Government is collaborating with WHO as a trusted partner in improving the health and well-being of the people of Bangladesh.
“Sweden is happy to join forces with WHO and Bangladesh in supporting the implementation of Agenda 2030. This is the first time Sweden and WHO cooperate on country-level. Health is a priority for Sweden’s engagement globally and in Bangladesh and we hope that this new collaboration, which focuses on important health issues, will benefit the people of Bangladesh”, said H.E. Alexandra Berg von Linde, Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh, reiterating the importance of the partnership.
“Some of the challenges for the health systems in Bangladesh remain critical”, said Dr Bardan Jung Rana, WHO Representative to Bangladesh. “We identified five key elements for achieving health for all: reduce exclusion and social disparities in health; organize health services around people’s needs and expectations; integrate health into all sectors; pursue collaborative models of policy dialogue, and increase the stakeholders’ participation. The Government of Sweden’s funding, which reflects the financing for sustainable development in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goal 17, will help the Government of Bangladesh achieve the 2030 targets.”
The project will broaden the opportunities for the Government of Sweden, WHO Bangladesh, and other relevant development partners to support Bangladesh on its path to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in an integrated manner, with a commitment to leave no one behind, ensuring that human rights and other international standards and obligations are respected.
For further information, please contact:
- Embassy of Sweden in Bangladesh, Mr Alim Bari, alim.bari@gov.se
- WHO Bangladesh, Ms Manuela Altomonte, Communication and Media Relations Officer, altomontem@who.int