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PSR-Bangladesh

Students' Chapter Report, September 01, 2006 - August 31, 2007

Aims and Objectives

1. Prevention of nuclear war or any other wars by elimination of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, achievement of a sustainable environment and reduction of violation of human rights and its cause.
2. Creating awareness among Medical students, physicians and the public to the serious health consequences of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, degradation of environment and violence at all level in the society.
3. Dissemination of accurate present scientific knowledge and data regarding consequences of nuclear war among medical community and population SO THAT POLITICAL DECISION MUST BE MADE AGAINST NUCLEAR WAR AND ANY OTHER WARS.
4. Assistance of health policy and planning protect health rights of individual. Improvement of health & medical education and to alleviate hindrance of health service delivery system.
5. To establish communication with other national and international human rights, professional, social, cultural and political bodies exchange view and correlate the action programs.
6. Minimize the effect of the war and preparation for the war on health, development and environment.

Activities/Programs

1. An advocacy meeting was organized with students, young doctors and journalist on the theme Reverence for Life/Music for Life on April 22, 2007 at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Campus. About 75 persons participated on that meeting.


2. Voluntary free medical services to flood affecting peoples: Out of 64 districts, 43 were flooded from May to September 2007. About 30 million people suffered from its consequences. People lost their houses, crops, safe drinking water, foods and works and have to remain in fasting. Moreover diarrhoea and skin disease became endemic. On an average more than thousand people got admission into hospital in a day only in Dhaka city. Our Doctors and clinical students became forwards to serve diarrhea suffering peoples at different hospitals. Dr. Moshiur Rahman Khasru, NSR, PSR Bangladesh voluntarily served diarrhoeal patients at Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital for one month and Dr. Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury served for 15 days in Dhaka Medical College hospital. Other students served to make Oral Rehaydration Salt (ORS) in hand. During the flood time only two cases died in Hospital throughout the country. Few other cases died at home or on the way to hospital due to severe dehydration.


3. Voluntary blood donation and posthumous eye donation campaign: This is our ongoing regular programme. Since after Emergency Power Rule 2007 declared we have face lot of problems to organize mass campaigning and voluntary blood donation programme. On the International Mother Language Day,07 (February 21) in association with other medical students group we organized a day long voluntary blood donation programme at Central Monument of language murder at Mymensingh city. Hundred and six peoples donated blood voluntarily there. This collected blood was distributed and transfused MMC hospital free of cost among poor patients through student’s blood bank.


4. Strengthening activities: PSR-B students’ chapter is trying to expand in other medical colleges of Bangladesh. Several view exchange and motivational programmes were organized in three medical colleges. We have taken preparation to organize national Students convention soon after Emergency Power Rule becomes relaxed or withdrawn.


5. Observation of Hiroshima Day, 07: Bangladesh is running under Emergency power Rule 2007. To organize any gathering govt. permission is mandatory. PSR-B applied to Govt. to organize a rally and a discussion meeting on Hiroshima Day. Govt does not permit us to organize a rally but discussion meeting. PSR-B organized a fruitful discussion meeting with Social activists, eminent journalists, physicians & medical students where Dr. Anowar Hossain, former chairman, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Mr. Wali-ur Rehman, former Ambassador & foreign secretary; Mr. Joglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Chief Editor, Bangladesh News Agency; Ms. Ayesha Akter, General Secretary, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (Bangladesh Women Association) and Dr. Sarwar Ali, Trusrty Independent war Museum & former Secretary General of Bangladesh Medical Association, former councilor, IPPNW were discussed on the topic "IMPACTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPON ON HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT, HIROSHIMA TO BANGLADESH". Dr. Kamrul Hasan Khan presented the key note paper and the session was chaired by eminent economist & leader of civil society Professor Mozaffor Ahmed. The news of this program was covered by various TV (Satellite) channel and the National Dailies.


6. Participation in 17th IPPNW world Congress, Helsinki, Finland: Along with two PSR- Physician, our students’ representative Moshiur Rahman Khasru participated actively in that wonderful congress on September 6-9, 2006.


7. Participation in South Asian Students Meet 2007, Kathmandu, Nepal: On August 28-29, a seminar was held on Kathmandu, Nepal organized by Physicians for Social Responsibility Nepal. It was a South Asian Students Meet. The theme of the conference was ‘A Call from the Medical Community for the Prevention of Small Arms Violence’. PSR, Bangladesh sent a team to attend the meeting. The members are as follows: Moshiur Rahman Khasru- (Team leader), Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury and Anarul Islam
   
   The main objectives of the meeting were:
   • To be self aware about small arm tragedies.
   • To know the ways adapted in some countries for tackling small arm violence.
   • Development of ways of handling the problems of small arms on our part through brain storming and following the examples of other countries of the world.
   • Dissemination of our findings to the media for mass awareness.
   
   A total of five (5) countries attended the conference namely Bangladesh, India, Germany, Poland and host Nepal.