This country profile is the outcome of a landscape assessment conducted by APC staff and colleagues. The landscape assessment includes specific attention to family planning with the purpose of collecting the most up to date information available on the community health system, community health workers, and community health services in country. These country profiles are part of APC's Community Health Systems Catalog, a resource intended for ministries of health, program managers, researchers, and donors. The catalog covers USAID priority countries for population and reproductive health and countries with a demonstrated interest in community-based family planning.
A report by Christian Connections for International Health affiliate World Faiths Development Dialogue provides analysis of the role of religious communities in family planning policies in six majority Muslim countries: Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan and Senegal. Although the experiences of the six countries are diverse, the report demonstrates that effective family planning policies must take religion into account. It also includes an appendix of verses from the Qur'an and hadith that can be referred to in relation to family planning.
Through a grant awarded under Advancing Partners & Communities (APC), Sightsavers strengthens the capacity of health care workers to provide pediatric ophthalmological services. The project focuses on health system strengthening, particularly the human resources for child eye health and development of standard tools and pediatric minimally invasive surgery (MIS).
Sightsavers is an international organization working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality for disabled people. The organization targets the world’s most vulnerable populations to combat blindness and restore sight through specialist treatment and eye care. Additionally, Sightsavers provides education, counseling, and training for individuals who are irreversibly blind.
The Bangladesh country profile provides an overview of the community health system in Bangladesh according to the most up-to-date policies available.