National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh (NHFB) has formed a youth forum ‘Youth for Healthy Bangladesh’ which is intended to engage young people in prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) all over the country.

According to the NHFB, non-communicable diseases are spreading in developed and developing countries around the world. In Bangladesh, 67 percent of all deaths are attributed to NCDs, it added.

The forum will serve as an advocacy and supportive organization of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh in controlling and preventing the NCDs.

Founder and president of NHFB National Professor Brigadier (retd) Abdul Malik presided over the programme. Md. Mokammel Hossain, Additional Secretary (SDG Affairs), Prime Minister's Office was present as the chief guest in the event. Speaking at the programme, Mokammel Hossain said, “Today’s youth will lead the country in the future. So, they have to be responsible from now on.”

Rina Parveen, Additional Secretary (Public Health and World Health), Health Service Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare advised young people to take care of their own health as well as their careers.

She said today's young people will be successful in their career, but if they suffer from NCDs including heart diseases and diabetes at the age of 35-40, they might not be able to reap the benefit of it.

“So, the young people need to abstain from eating processed foods and fast foods, need to have a balanced diet, to refrain from all forms of tobacco and drugs, including cigarettes and e-cigarettes,” Rina Parveen added. Dr. Raihan-e-Jannat, Program Manager of NCD Control Program of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Prof. Shafiqul Islam, Head of Programs of Vital Strategies Bangladesh, and Abdus Salam, Grant Manager of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Bangladesh were also present.