The COVID-19 pandemic and the public health challenges in Bangladesh: a commentary

Amlan Haque

doi:10.1108/jhr-07-2020-0279

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the current pandemic situation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Bangladesh, how the Government is managing this unprecedented condition and encountering these increasing public health challenges.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a viewpoint of the current COVID-19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh.FindingsAs one of the most densely populated countries, Bangladesh is vulnerable to COVID-19. Currently, the infection of COVID-19 is spreading fast and started to capture all the parts of Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh has already taken several preventive measures to overcome the pandemic such as declaring hotspots of COVID-19 and setting lockdowns, increasing mass awareness through social media and satellite TV channels. They are also encouraging private and community healthcare initiatives to increase hospital beds and COVID-19 treatment facilities. Besides, the Government has deployed defence force and additional health workers and increased public holidays to reduce the number of coronavirus infections. However, both the number of infected people and the death toll is rising, and there are growing challenges that the Government and public healthcare professions need to overcome.Originality/valueThis paper delivers information about the present developing situation of COVID-19 in Bangladesh, how the Government is handling and public health challenges that have raised. This paper can be helpful for the policymakers and Government officials for effective public health interventions.

Highlights

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable disease that has not been previously identified in humans
The unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 has posed an enormous challenge to the healthcare sector, in developing countries such as Bangladesh
In the last two months, both the infection rate and death rate from COVID-19 have been escalating in the South Asian region, in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh [3]

Summary

Introduction

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable disease that has not been previously identified in humans. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 has posed an enormous challenge to the healthcare sector, in developing countries such as Bangladesh. Global condition COVID-19 was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Public healthcare is suffering an unprecedented challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic on a global scale. The WHO advised Southeast Asia to take prompt and suitable public health initiatives to control the increased transmission rate and pandemic situation. In the last two months, both the infection rate and death rate from COVID-19 have been escalating in the South Asian region, in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh [3]

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Conclusion