Hospital-acquired infections are a major challenge in Bangladesh, impacting patient safety and increasing costs. To address this, WHO is collaborating with Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) to establish a sustainable, high-quality IPC system, aiming to make BMU a national model for other healthcare institutions across the country.

The kickoff meeting was held on 8 July 2025 at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), led by Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam. The meeting brought together BMU’s senior leadership and a WHO delegation, headed by Ms. Sangay Wangmo, Team Lead, Health Systems Unit in WHO Bangladesh.  During the meeting, WHO Bangladesh and BMU outlined an action plan to effectively implement IPC strategies across BMU’s hospitals and laboratories.

WHO emphasized its technical commitment to transforming BMU into a benchmark institution by focusing on key areas such as physician practices, patient safety, hospital hygiene, healthcare waste management, immunization programs, and comprehensive awareness and training initiatives. The goal is to build a practical IPC framework that fosters both behavioral change and skill development among healthcare workers, ultimately enhancing patient safety.  This will be followed by a formal agreement between the WHO Representative to Bangladesh and the Vice Chancellor of BMU, demonstrating a strong commitment to this important initiative