CHSS > Research > Chronic Disease Research And Programs

Background

Bangladesh, like many transitional countries, is straddling the demographic and epidemiologic transitions. As the burden shifts from surviving birth, childhood and maternity, so must the focus of the health system of the nation in order to continue to meet the needs of the population, particularly the poor. As the epidemiological transition takes hold, Bangladesh will face greater burden of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and various kinds of degenerative diseases associated with old age. Currently, some 51% of deaths in Bangladesh are due to non-communicable diseases and chronic health conditions. South Asia as a whole is experiencing a similar trend. Twenty-three percent of the world's population lives in South Asia, where more than 28 percent of the disease burden can be attributed to chronic and non-communicable diseases. It is imperative that our health system develops the capacity and the policy orientation to better understand and respond to this epidemiological transition. 

It is in response to this challenge that the James P Grant School of Public Health joined hands with ICCDR,B, the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, United Kingdom and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, United States to establish a Center for Chronic Diseases Research and Programs (CCDRP). Housed at the ICDDR,B the CCDRP is designed to implement a preventive, curative and capacity strengthening program to combat chronic diseases in Bangladesh and in the South Asia region.

The Goal and Objectives of the Center
The primary goal of the Center for Chronic Disease Research and Programs is to strengthen the health system in Bangladesh in effectively responding to the growing challenge of emerging chronic diseases in terms of appropriate policy, programs and resource allocation. The Center’s activities will include:

  • Research (basic, formative and operational),

  • Surveillance/monitoring,

  • Advocacy,

  • Training/capacity building,

  • Scale up support to BRAC and partner institutions of proven interventions/programs, and 

  • Policy and governance.

In short, it is an unique Center with scientific, technical and administrative leadership provided by ICDDR,B and the BRAC School of Public Health. Through innovative research, advocacy and program development the Center aims to consolidate the knowledge base in terms of epidemiology of chronic diseases and the magnitude of the burden, understand health seeking behavior and coping strategies adopted by the patients and families, and identify risk factors; develop locally appropriate management strategy for chronic diseases and test their feasibility, effectiveness, impact, and costs; and scale up at the community level by strengthening health systems and partner institutions. Studies and interventions targeting tobacco-related lung and oral cancer, arsenicosis, and diabetes screening would receive early attention from the CCDRP. 

Other Partners

ICDDR,B and BRAC School of Public Health will be partnering in Bangladesh with the following organizations:

  • The Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB)/BIRDEM) is the lead hospital in Bangladesh for providing treatment of mainly Diabetes. DAB already has branches in nearly all 64 districts in Bangladesh;

  • The Ahsania Mission Hospital: a cancer specialty hospital;

  • The National Institute for Cardiovascular Disease: provides specialized treatment for heart disease in urban settings;

  • The National Institute for Chest Disease and Hospital (NICDH): provides specialized treatment for Asthma, TB and other respiratory diseases in urban settings; and

  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) as well as other GOB agencies as appropriate.

Link with the Centre for Health Systems Studies

All our activities in chronic disease research and programs will be under the overall the purview of the Centre for Health Systems Studies.