July-September 2018
Editorial: Necessity of mental health research
Mental health research saves lives, relieves significant distress and improves quality of life. It also benefits the whole of our society by generating social and economic benefits that contribute to thriving communities built upon resilience, reduced levels of mental ill-health and less stigma and discrimination. Yet mental health research is under-prioritized. To achieve mental healthcare that and enhance wellbeing, the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) in collaboration with Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy of the Indian Law Society, Pune; Trimbos Institute, Netherlands; SNEHA – Suicide Prevention Centre, Chennai; Gujarat Institute for Mental Health (GIMH) & Hospital for Mental Health (HMH), Ahmedabad with the financial support from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), USA has been implementing a project titled ‘Suicide Prevention and Implementation Research Initiative (SPIRIT)’. The purpose of the project is to strengthen regional capacity in implementation research to prevent suicide. The capacity building activities will be accomplished through workshops and training of mental health researchers from Bangladesh and India under an Implementation Science Fellowship Program. It is expected that successful implementation of this project will play an important role to equip mental health researchers in the skills needed to develop and carry out implementation research as well as to prevent suicidal tendency effectively through sustainable changes and improvement in mental healthcare.
National Development Fair 2018
BCCP, as the event management consultant firm of CPTU was responsible for designing, developing, installing and managing the IMED/CPTU booth.
As take away material, a brochure, describing IMED’s structure, activities and services was designed and produced to distribute among the visitors in the Fair. A total of 5,000 brochures were printed and distributed in the fair. A total of 5,000 pens were produced with IMED/e-GP branding and distributed to the visitors during the fair as a novelty item. Beside this, a leaflet describing the Project Management Information System (PMIS) was also developed, produced and distributed. A total of 3,000 copies of leaflets were printed and distributed to the visitors from IMED Booth during the Fair.
With the guidance and feedback from IMED/CPTU, BCCP did the design work for the booth including wooden, PVC and pan flex-based backdrop; side panels; X stands; display table; registration desk; head banner etc. The stall was decorated with a dominance of white, green and blue to remain relevant with the branding guideline of e-GP. The backdrop featured a project implementation model which helped the visitors to gather a quick understanding of the project.
An LCD screen was also visible on the backdrop that displayed the IMED video, theme song and Television Commercials of e-GP on loop. As the visitors engaged in conversation with the attendants in the booth, the e-GP music in the background created a great learning experience for the visitors who wanted to know more about IMED activities.
Mr. Md. Mofizul Islam, Honorable Secretary, IMED. Mr. Md. Faruque Hossain, Honorable Director General (Additional Secretary), CPTU, Mr. A K M Badrul Majid, Additional Secretary, IMED, Mr. Md. Mahmudul Huq, Joint Secretary, IMED, Mr. Mohammad Shahjahan, Director & CEO, BCCP visited the booth and exchanged views with the visitors at the booth.
BCCP carried out activities to showcase the live Mobile App through KIOSK, e-GP Portal, updates on e-GP, arranged a digital display of live data on e-GP and video screening on IMED and CPTU’s activities. Apart from that, BCCP carried out videography and photography at the booth.
BCCP also mobilized the media for coverage of the booth and many English and Bangla print media also covered of the IMED/CPTU booth.
The main objective of this assignment was to showcase and promote the progress made on e-GP and other innovations in Public Procurement by CPTU and project monitoring by IMED. Using a creative approach to design and communicating the several aspects of IMED activities, PMIS and e-GP through brochures, interactive KIOSK, digital billboard, videography and personal interactions, BCCP ensured that the messages reach the visitors in as many ways as possible.
Online SBCC Material Approval (OSMA): a headway towards digitization as part of Ujjiban’s SBCC system strengthening effort
An application software has been developed to create an automated system for submission, processing and approval of SBCC material online. This system has been titled as ‘Online SBCC Material Approval (OSMA)’ will facilitate directorates/units under the MoHFW and NGOs to make SBCC material submissions right on their available time, get it processed for approval through automated system and also receive approval of the SBCC materials in more effective and quickest way. This initiative is a part of USAID-Ujjiban-BCCP SBCC project’s effort for MoHFW and its directorate/unit’s SBCC capacity and system strengthening.
This application is now running with Beta testing before it is finally open for public use. In course of Beta testing a workshop with different units of the DGHS, DGFP and with the NGOs was held on September 17, 2018 in the BMA Auditorium, Dhaka. This workshop was formally inaugurated by Mr. Habibur Rahman, Additional Secretary (PHWH), MoHFW while the Director-IEM and the Chief, Health Education Bureau were also present in the inauguration ceremony. The participants attended the workshop represents the units of IEM, CCSDP, FSD, MCH from DGFP and BHE, IPHN, MNCAH, PHC and CBHC from DGHS. Besides, Mass Communication Department of Dhaka University, Ministry of information, Bangladesh Betar and BCCP participated the workshop as member of the IEC Technical Committee. In addition, the representatives from SMC, Ma-Moni and Ujjiban also participated in this workshop.
In his speech the Additional Secretary told that this application software will bring benefit for all levels of program stakeholders to process and getting approval of the SBCC materials in fully automated way. He also mentioned that this application will contribute to the implementation of Comprehensive SBCC Strategy and thanked Ujjiban for their continuous support in all their system strengthening effort.
The workshop went very well with interactive discussions during the presentation of the application software and following a hands-on practical session (group work). In their plenary presentation the groups highly appreciated the development of this software application as they found the software most user friendly and easy to navigate. They thanked Ujjiban to work behind this initiative in strengthening SBCC system. However, the groups made few recommendations to make the application software further secure and competent to meet upcoming demands. This application will be uploaded online for public use within next 3 months.
Consultative Workshop to Develop Behavior Change Intervention (BCI) Strategy for ENRICH Project at National Level
Enhancing Nutrition Services to Improve Maternal and Child health (ENRICH) program is being implemented in Takurgaon district and is designed to help achieve national and global nutrition targets: Strengthening both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions; and Target the reduction of malnutrition in the first 1,000 days.
With the objectives of strengthening Nutrition counseling during pregnancy, IYCF counseling, and IFA and MNP distribution, Desk Review and Formative Research was carried out by ICDDR,B to inform the development of behavior change communication material and strategy for the program areas. A Consultative Workshop with stakeholders held on 22nd July, 2018 to develop the Behavior Change Intervention (BCI) Strategy for ENRICH Project at the Conference room of Institute of Public Health Nutrition, DGHS, Mohakhali, Dhaka. Professor Dr. Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General (Admin), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) was the Chief Guest and Dr. Samir Kanti Sarker, Director, Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN) and Line Director, National Nutrition Services (NNS) was the Chairperson of the workshop. Dr. Iftia Jerin, Senior Project Officer, ENRICH Project, Nutritional International was present to provide her expert guidance. A total of 31 participants from the Government, Non-Government and Development partners attended the Workshop.
Suicide Prevention & Implementation Research Initiative (SPIRIT)
Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) in collaboration with Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy of the Indian Law Society, Pune; Trimbos Institute, Netherlands; SNEHA – Suicide Prevention Centre, Chennai; Gujarat Institute for Mental Health (GIMH) & Hospital for Mental Health (HMH), Ahmedabad with the financial support from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), USA has been implementing a project titled ‘Suicide Prevention and Implementation Research Initiative (SPIRIT)’. The purpose of the project is to strengthen regional capacity in implementation research to prevent suicide. The capacity building activities will be accomplished through workshops and training of mental health researchers from Bangladesh and India under an Implementation Science Fellowship Program. It is expected that successful implementation of this project will play an important role to equip mental health researchers in the skills needed to develop and carry out implementation research as well as to prevent suicidal tendency effectively through sustainable changes and improvement in mental healthcare.
On the way to Gender Equality and SRHR with SHOW project
Bangladesh Training and Research Foundation (BTRF), has developed a Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Guideline for audio-visual materials use on Gender Equality and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for SHOW project of Plan International Bangladesh. The guideline both in Bengali and English has developed to help the field workers of the project to improve utilization of essential health services (including family planning) by Women of Reproductive Age (WRA), adolescent girls, new-born & children under 5 living in poverty, with high vulnerability. In an aim for reducing maternal, new-born and child mortality in Bangladesh, ten guidelines including: Raising Women’s agency and voice in decision making, Women’s access and control over resource, Male engagement in Reproductive Health and household chores, Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) methods, Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) including HIV and AIDS, Safe abortion and post-abortion care, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)/ Gender-Based Violence Against Women (GBVAW) and its impact on maternal and child health, Parent’s role in Child Development, Prevention of Child marriage, Role of change makers for reducing GE barriers have been developed. BTRF also pre-tested the guideline with the beneficiaries in Barguna and khagrachari district. Furthermore, a five-day long ‘Training of Trainers’ (TOT) also conducted to the program persons from the training pool of Plan International Bangladesh and other partner development agencies.
Consultative Workshop held to Develop Behavioral Change Intervention (BCI) Strategy for ENRICH Project at Takurgaon District
A Consultative Workshop held on August 09, 2018 to Develop Behavior Change Intervention (BCI) Strategy for ENRICH Project at the Conference room of Civil Surgeon, Takurgaon. A total of 35 Participants comprises of Deputy Director-Family Planning, Civil Surgeon, UH & FPOs, UFOs, MO-MCH, MO-CS, Medical Officers Diseases Control, from five Upazilas of Takurgaon, Project Manager and Upazila Coordinators of ENRICH Project at Takurgaon. Dr. Abu Md. Khairul Kabir, Civil Surgeon, Takurgaon was present in the workshop as Chair. Beginning of the workshop he welcome the participants to attend he Workshop. Dr. Md. Shahidul Alam, Deputy Director, BCCP gave a short introduction of 5 areas where Nutrition International (NI) has been working and objective of the workshop. Ms. Jesmin Akter, Nutrition Specialist of BCCP, share the draft BCI strategy. A productive discussion held on the presentation and provides valuable suggestion by the participants.
BCCP Official Selected for JHSPH Scholar Program 2018-2019
Mr. Mohammad Shamimul Islam, Assistant Director, Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs has been selected for JHSPH Scholar Program 2018-2019. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public (JHSPH) selected 9 scholars for this competitive and prestigious program from 10 Bloomberg Initiative priority countries including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Philippine and Indonesia.
The tobacco control activists who attended the Johns Hopkins Tobacco Control Leadership Programs or Certificate Programs to develop tobacco control leadership skills are eligible to apply for the program. JHSPH will develop advanced leadership development skills on tobacco control through online and onsite programs of the participants.
Mr. Mohammad Shamimul Islam attended an onsite meeting of the program in Baltimore, USA in October 2018.