Experts and senior government officials yesterday laid emphasis on improving public health to achieve economic development of the least developed countries like Bangladesh.

Poor health of (he people Is a major impediment for economic growth and development while healthy population is the prerequisite for national development. they said.

I hey were speaking at a "Dissemination Workshop on the Report of the Commission on Macroeconomics of I lealth and Role of Health, Nutrition and Population Sector in Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSPS)" at BIAM auditorium here.

Principal and Cabinet Secretary Dr Kamal Uddin Siddique inaugurated the workshop as chief guest while Health Secretary M Fazlur Rahman was in (he chair.

1 RD secretary Anisul Huq Chowdhury, education secretary M Shahidul Alam, secretary of planning division Budiur Rahman, finance secretary' Zakir Ahmed Khan, WHO representative to Bangladesh Dr Suniti Acharya and head of DI ID Paul Ackroyd at-' (ended the inaugural function.

Speaking on (he occasion, they laid emphasis on increasing budgetary allocation to (he health sector and strengthening interaction for getting donor support to address I he health challenges in the low im ome countries.

Terming health as the principal engine ol development, Dr Kamal Siddique said Milind health is a

pre-condition for economic growth and development. I he health sector can improve the economic condition of the people of the country," he added.

Dr Sergio Spinaci, executive secretary of (he World Health Organisation presented the report published recently by the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health (( MH) to asses the place health in global economic development.

(living the salient features of the global health situation, the report said the minimum financing need is 30 to <10 US dollars per person per year. But the current actual spending in the least developed countries is only 13 US dollars.

“Timely and bold actions can save at least eight million lives each year by the end of this decade. extending the life spans, productivity and economic well-being of the poor," it added.