Advocacy workshop with Directorate of Prison, BangladeshAdvocacy workshop with Directorate of Prison, Bangladesh
On November 17, 2020, an Advocacy workshop was held with the Office of Directorate of Prison, Bangladesh in order to ensure HIV services, in particular harm reduction services, for PWID (People Who Inject Drug) and other prisoners who are in detention for different duration. This event was a joint initiative of AIDS/STD program (ASP)-DGHS and CARE Bangladesh with the support from The Global Fund through Save the Children. Brig. Gen. Md. Mominur Rahman Mamun, Inspector General of Prison, Professor Dr. Shamiul Islam, Director, MBDC and Line Director of TB-L and AIDSDGHS, Additional IG, Jail Supers and Medical Officers from 25 districts participated in the workshop.
Dr. Lima Rahman, COP-HIV Program, Mr. Ezazul Islam Chowdhury from Save the Children graced the occasion with their presence. A small team was formed to move forward the recommendations of the workshop. From CARE Bangladesh, Dr. Ikhtiar Uddin Khandaker, Director, Health and Dr. Jahirul Alam Azad, Head of Urban Health, also attended as guest of honor of the event.
It was a very successful program with some effective future actions plans including:
1. HIV testing services (HTS,) Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST), Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) services will be included in the Prison setting where CARE Bangladesh will take the steering role
2. TB related services will be enhanced with the services
3. The small teams will develop a work plan and the check the feasibility of setting up these services in the prison and will actively follow up and make sure proper implementation
Advocacy workshop with Bangladesh Police, Dhaka Range
On November 28, 2020, a workshop on HIV and AIDS with Bangladesh police was jointly organized by ASP - DGHS and CARE Bangladesh. Mr. Habibur Rahman, DIG, Dhaka Range attended the workshop as chief guest, Dr. Mohammad Aminul Islam Miah, Director-DGHS, joined as special guest. In addition to that, Superintendent of Police from Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj with other high officials from different level of Dhaka Range Office, Bangladesh Police, distinguished guests from DGHS.
The objectives of the workshop were to integrate, and to enhance collaboration with Bangladesh Police with national response of HIV, especially in harm reduction program for PWID (people who inject drug) intervention. It was very a participatory, interactive, and joyful workshop organized at Dhaka District Police Line, Dhaka Range.
Dr. Lima Rahman, COP-HIV Program and Mr. Ezazul Islam Chowdhury from Save the Children, Dr. Ikhtiar Uddin Khandaker, Director-Health and Jahirul Alam Azad, Head of Urban Health, from CARE Bangladesh joined the event.
The action points from the workshop are:
1. A commitment demonstrated from the speech of the DIG, Dhaka Range that Bangladesh police would be an integral part of the PWID intervention and will be providing all sorts of support to the intervention
2. The high officials are eager to visit our intervention sites to oversee and understand the harm reduction program
3. CARE Bangladesh is instructed to communication with the Superintendent of Police, Training and media and provide a short project briefing for all the participants with the contact details, address of the service centers so that Bangladesh police can able to extend time to time support to the intervention
4. DIG of Dhaka range recommended CARE Bangladesh to follow up the meeting and visit to them frequently
5. The participants requested for a certificate signed by the DIG, Dhaka Range, Line Director or Director, ASP, Director-Health CARE Bangladesh
