World Health Day_2015 rally in Dhaka
April 7 is observed as the World Health Day globally. This year the World Health Organization confirmed, `Food Safety? as the theme. It is widely recognized that older people are most at risk of unsafe food consumption. Health falls when age grows and at old age people must have access to nutritive, safe food, pure drinking water, and pollution free environment. Due to unsafe and/or unclean food making, consumption older people often suffer from food poisoning, bacterial infection, listeriosis, E.Coli, Salmonellosis and many other preventable diseases.
Pledges for safe food
Bangladesh government and its development partners have taken many steps to ensure health, safe food and social security. Especially prevention of food adulteration, expired and low quality food contents make older people?s health more prone to health risks than people of any other ages. Focusing these issues, with the concept of `Generation Bridging? between young and older people, SERAC-Bangladesh, HelpAge International, Protyasha, WBB Trust and Oronudoyer Torun Dol has joined organized a rally in front of Dhaka North City Corporation. The rally was led by City Corporation?s chief health officer Brigadier General Mahbubur Rahman.
Mass participation
A human chain following the rally was moderated by SERAC-Bangladesh?s Program Coordinator Syed Mazarul Islam was spoke on by SERAC-Bangladesh?s Executive Director S M Shaikat, WBB Trust?s National Advocacy Officer Syeda Ononna Rohman, Sahadat Hossain from Protayasha and Shahidul Islam Babu from Oronudoyer Torun Dol. Speakers urged that the government has passed the Food Safety Act 2013 and including young and older people in the implementation process is necessary.
Memorandum to Safe Food Authority
After the human chain, a delegation from SERAC-Bangladesh and HelpAge International handed over a memorandum to the Secretary of Bangladesh Safe Food Authority Md. Abdul Baten Miah. Others including Advocacy Officer of SERAC-Bangladesh Munsafa Tripti, Program Officer Jisan Mahmud, Environmentalist Abdus Sobhan Juel and Dr. Syeda Hasina Ara Karim were also present at the occasion.