Hanifi SMA, Das S, and Rahman M (2018) Bangladeshi neonates miss the potential benefits of early BCG vaccination, International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 47, Issue 1, Pp 348–349, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyx223
Bangladesh is a high-TB-burden country. It is recommended, for TB-endemic areas, that BCG be given to neonates at the first possible opportunity of their life. Several observational studies and lately a few randomized trials show that BCG offers ‘heterologous protective effects’ beyond its target disease tuberculosis. A recent review by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) on non-specific effects of BCG vaccine shows that vaccination at birth reduces neonatal mortality by 48% (18–67%), which is mainly due to the prevention of neonatal sepsis and respiratory infections. In Bangladesh, neonatal mortality is high (28 per 1000 live births) (and accounts for about two-thirds of all under-five deaths), mainly due to infections, birth asphyxia, respiratory infection and prematurity.
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Chowdhury AH, Hanifi SMA, Mia MN and Bhuiya A (2017) Socioeconomic inequalities in under-five mortality in rural Bangladesh: evidence from seven national surveys spreading over 20 years, International Journal for Equity in Health (2017) 16:197, DOI: 10.1186/s12939-017-0693-9
Socioeconomic inequality in health and mortality remains a disturbing reality across nations including Bangladesh. Inequality drew renewed attention globally. Bangladesh though made impressive progress in health, it makes an interesting case for learning. This paper examined the trends and changing pattern of socioeconomic inequalities in under-five mortality in rural Bangladesh. It also examined whether mother’s education had any effect in reducing socioeconomic inequalities.
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Khatun F, Heywood AE, Hanifi SM, Rahman MS, Ray PK, Liaw ST and Bhuiya A (2017) Gender differentials in readiness and use of mHealth services in a rural area of Bangladesh, BMC health services research, 17:573, DOI: 10.1186/s12913-017-2523-6
Traditional gender roles result in women lagging behind men in the use of modern technologies, especially in developing countries. Although there is rapid uptake of mobile phone use in Bangladesh, investigation of gender differences in the ownership, access and use of mobile phones in general and mHealth in particular has been limited. This paper presents gender differentials in the ownership of mobile phones and knowledge of available mHealth services in a rural area of Bangladesh.
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This report contains findings from a population census carried out in 8 of the 19 unions of Chakaria, a remote rural upazila in the south-eastern coastal area of Bangladesh. ICDDR,B has been engaged in health activities in 6 of these 8 unions since 1994 through a community-initiated primary healthcare project. Two of the unions where ICDDR,B has no activities were designated as comparison areas to assess the impact of ICDDR,B activities on health and health-related behaviours.
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