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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Health & Science

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From Daily Star · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • An international research program has launched in Bangladesh and Pakistan to create affordable, accessible cardiac rehabilitation services.
  • The five-year "ACROSS" program, funded by the UK's NIHR, aims to develop a culturally appropriate, home-based model including mental health support.
  • Researchers from the University of Glasgow and University of Manchester are leading the initiative, collaborating with local institutions to strengthen health systems and improve patient outcomes.

Millions of patients in South Asia face inadequate resources for cardiac rehabilitation, leaving them without essential post-heart disease treatment. To bridge this gap, an international five-year research program, "Affordable Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Outreach Interdisciplinary Strategic Study (ACROSS)," has begun in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the initiative seeks to develop an affordable, accessible, and culturally appropriate model for cardiac rehabilitation, crucially integrating mental health support.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and one of the largest contributors to disability globally.

— Prof Rod TaylorProfessor Rod Taylor of the University of Glasgow, co-lead of the ACROSS programme, stated the significance of cardiovascular disease as a global health issue.

The program, which commenced on July 1 last year, is spearheaded by the University of Glasgow and the University of Manchester. In Bangladesh, the implementation is being handled by the Bangladesh University of Health Sciences (BUHS) in partnership with local medical institutions. This collaborative effort involves patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers in designing a rehabilitation model that is not only home-based but also sensitive to local cultural contexts.

patients and healthcare professionals were at the centre of the programme’s planning and implementation.

— Prof Imran ChaudhryProfessor Imran Chaudhry of the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, another co-lead, described the program's patient-centric approach.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability globally. Professor Rod Taylor of the University of Glasgow highlighted the program's potential to ensure effective, accessible, and affordable rehabilitation services for people in South Asia and South Asian communities in the UK. Professor Imran Chaudhry from the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning emphasized that patients and healthcare professionals are central to the program's planning and implementation, aiming to build long-term health system capacity and deliver sustainable benefits for cardiac and mental health rehabilitation.

the research, conducted through international collaboration, would generate important evidence for the health sciences sector.

— Prof JMA HannanProf JMA Hannan, vice-chancellor of BUHS, commented on the value of international collaboration in generating evidence for health sciences.
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Originally published by Daily Star. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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