Health experts have stressed the need to increase public awareness and ensure access to quality maternal healthcare, urging pregnant women to give birth at healthcare facilities to help reduce maternal mortality in Bangladesh.

The call came at a media sensitisation workshop organised by Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) in Chattogram today (21 July) under the project "Health Systems Resilience for Improved Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Bangladesh."

The workshop focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), nutrition and the role of the media in raising public awareness.

Speakers said 123 mothers die from pregnancy, childbirth or postnatal complications for every 100,000 live births in Bangladesh. They also noted that 92 out of every 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19 give birth, underscoring the need for improved reproductive health services and awareness.

The workshop also highlighted gaps in family planning services, saying nearly 27 out of every 100 people who wish to use modern contraceptive methods do not receive the necessary services.

Shamima Akter Chowdhury, team leader of the BAPSA project, said sexual and reproductive health is not solely a women's issue but a fundamental right for both men and women.

She said that many women still give birth at home because of social stigma and misconceptions instead of seeking care at health facilities, putting both mothers and newborns at risk.

The workshop also presented data on child nutrition, showing that 24% of children under the age of five in Bangladesh are stunted, while 12.9% are wasted. It added that 56% of infants are exclusively breastfed during their first six months.

Divisional Deputy Director of Health Dr Kamrul Azad said the government has been taking various initiatives to encourage institutional deliveries.

He further warned that deliveries conducted at home by untrained individuals often endanger the lives of both mothers and babies.

YPSA Founder and Executive Director Dr Md Arifur Rahman said the media has a crucial role in disseminating accurate, evidence-based health information and countering misinformation and misconceptions through responsible reporting.

The workshop was attended by Dr Kamrul Azad, Dr Arifur Rahman, Shamima Akter Chowdhury, YPSA Director (Social Development) Nasim Banu, Chattogram Press Club President Zahidul Karim Kochi and Project Manager Md Ibrahim Khalil Bhuiyan, among others.