Experts urge quality services for safe institutional deliveries, aiming to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths. Photo : BSS

RANGPUR, Aug 12, 2026 (BSS) - Experts at a workshop today called on all concerned to deliver quality services to ensure safe institutional deliveries for rural mothers and reduce maternal and neonatal mortalities.
 
They made the call at the 'Star Award Workshop 2026' organised by Rangpur Divisional Office of the Department of Family Planning (DFP) at the conference room of the BRAC Learning Center in the city.
 
The event was arranged marking the Golden jubilee celebration of LAMB Hospital to distribute Star Awards among the best serving Union Health and Family Welfare Centers (UHFWCs) and Safe Delivery Units (SDUs) of Rangpur division.
 
Divisional Director of the DFP Bikash Kumar Das presided over the event.
 
Deputy and Additional Directors and Upazila Family Planning Officers of the DFP, Community Skilled Birth Attendants (CSBAs) and managing committee members from different Union Health and UHFWCs and SDUs participated in the event.
 
Executive Director of LAMB David Chandran, Director of the Community Health and Development Programme (CHDP) Utpal Minj, Convener of Golden jubilee 
celebration committee of LAMB Swapan Pahan and Deputy Director (Community Health) Nomrota Hawee addressed the event as guests of honor.
 
Senior Registrar (Obstetric and Gynecology) of LAMB Hospital Dr Lalima Akter delivered a PowerPoint presentation narrating the activities of LAMB Hospital 
in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions with the financial support of various donor organisations.
 
She said LAMB Hospital has been implementing maternal and child health, adolescent reproductive health development and community-level health service 
delivery programmes in coordination with the DFP of Bangladesh government for 50 years.
 
The programmes are being implemented to raise awareness about child marriage and sterilization, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, check-ups of 
pregnant mothers, normal delivery services and referral management in case of emergency, which are being implemented through 51 UHFWCs. 
 
In the open discussion session, participants, including CSBAs, described their field-level experiences in providing safe deliveries to pregnant 
mothers from socially disadvantaged rural families and the challenges they faced in providing services.
 
Director of the CHDP of LAMB Hospital Utpal Minj responded to the issues raised by the participants and assured to address them in the future when 
adequate funding becomes available
 
The speakers said that the 'Star Award' will further encourage the CSBAs and managing committee members of the star award winner UHFWCs and SDUs to 
accelerate the implementation of the mentioned service delivery programmes.
 
They said the awards and financial grants are being given to motivate local health workers and management committees to support local sustainability and boost service quality and increase safe facility deliveries.
 
Executive Director of LAMB David Chandran highly lauded the CSBAs and managing committees of the local UHFWCs and SDUs for their sincere and 
coordinated endeavors in reaching reproductive health service to backward people in the society.
 
DFP Divisional Director Bikash Kumar Das congratulated the Star Award winning UHFWCs, Management Committee members and CSBAs and expressed hope that the quality of their services will further improve in the future.