The Global Health Network (TGHN) Asia has collaborated with the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) to establish The Global Health Network Bangladesh Country Centre, which would facilitate the building of capacity for doing research in all healthcare settings in Bangladesh. TGHN Asia is a free, open-access, knowledge exchange platform for anyone wanting to share or obtain information and resources on Asian health research initiatives. This initiative is coordinated by icddr,b, an international health research organization based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in a federated partnership way, for the region's research capacity strengthening, training, and data science initiatives.

Synopsis

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) is a postgraduate medical university where health research is an institutional mission. It adopted a new vision in 1998 from its previous identity as the Institute of Postgraduate Medical Research (IPGMR) which was established in December 1965 for expanding the facilities for higher medical education and research in the country. It holds a remarkable reputation for providing high quality postgraduate education in different specialties. The university has strong links with other professional bodies both home and abroad. The university is expanding rapidly and currently, the university has a number of departments equipped with modern technology for service, teaching and research. Asides from education, the university plays the vital role of promoting research activities in various disciplines of medicine. Since its inception, the university has been delivering general and specialized clinical service as a tertiary level healthcare centre. BSMMU is currently working on multiple projects like the MaMoni project on maternal and newborn care strengthening project, research on endocrinology and infertility and much more. Through high quality research, BSMMU is committed to serve the health system by adequate research expertise and consistent initiatives.

Launching of The Global Health Network Bangladesh

The Global Health Network (TGHN) Bangladesh was officially launched following a signing ceremony between icddr,b and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on November 16th, 2023, at the Vice-chancellor conference room in BSMMU, Dhaka. The honorable Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Sharfuddin Ahmed, opened the session with his inaugural speech. Pro-Vice chancellor research Professor Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman Khan; Respected deans of different faculties; and other academic council members were also present. From TGHN Asia, Dr. Aliya Naheed, lead of TGHN Asia and scientist, icddr,b, and other team members attended the event. The honorable VC, Prof. Dr. Sharfuddin Ahmed, expressed his support for the launch of TGHN Bangladesh and highlighted the importance of collaboration in addressing the health challenges faced by Bangladesh.

                                Prof. Dr. Sharfuddin Ahmad and Dr. Aliya Naheed signed and exchanged the agreement documents..                       

Dr. Naheed followed the VC's opening remarks with an overview and the goals of TGHN Bangladesh where she emphasised the importance of the agreement between icddr,b, and BSMMU in establishing TGHN Bangladesh and the potential benefits of the network for the Bangladeshi health research community.TGHN Bangladesh is a country-level hub of TGHN Asia, which will work to bring together researchers, clinicians, and public health professionals from across Bangladesh to collaborate with health research institutes. Activities will include developing training programmes on health research and data science, supporting the development of research proposals, facilitating collaboration between researchers from Bangladesh and other countries, promoting the dissemination of research findings, organizing supported learning sessions, webinars, and workshops, etc.

The Global Health Network Asia Research Club in Bangladesh

Session 1: Research Protocol Development: Issues of IRB

The Global Health Network Asia has recently setup a Research Club in Bangladesh and ran its first session on November 8, 2023. The inaugural session had a theme for the discussion "Research Protocol Development: Issues of IRB,". The objective of this session was to introduce the participants of local institutions in Bangladesh to the activities of the Research Club and to inspire institutes to host similar events. Around 50 participants from local institutes across Bangladesh attended the session, including physicians, researchers, and students. The session commenced with a comprehensive introduction to the Research Club by Md Saimul Islam, Data Science Coordinator at TGHN Asia. Dr. Aliya Naheed, Regional Lead of The Global Health Network (TGHN) Asia and Scientist at icddr,b, expertly facilitated the seminar.

                          Dr. Aliya Naheed delivering the talk of the session.                                                 Q and A sessions

The highlight of the event was the interactive session, during which participants actively engaged by posing questions related to developing research protocols, covering areas such as study design, data analysis strategy, consent form, ethical issues, and potential IRB challenges. Attendees shared personal experiences in dealing with IRB processes and constructing research protocols. Encouraged by the enthusiasm and positive response, participants expressed their commitment to hosting Research Club events in their institutes supported by TGHN Asia. 

Session 2: How to develop an analytical plan

The Global Health Network Asia organized its second successful session on November 28, 2023 in icddr, b Mohakhali. The discussion was on ‘How to develop an analytical plan’. The objective of this session was to break down the basics of an analytical plan and its significance in research to the participants. A number of participants from various local institutes across the country attended the session including physicians, researchers and students. The session was led by Dr. Aliya Naheed, Regional Lead of The Global Health Network (TGHN) Asia and Scientist at icddr,b. The participants actively engaged in a Q&A session and discussed their experiences with developing an analytical plan.

  Dr. Aliya Naheed with the Participants of the Session

Session 3: Data analysis of basic profile of participants

The global health Network Asia, under its research strengthening and capacity building program, organized its third Research club session on December 7,2023 at icddr,b Mohakhali.

The discussion was on “Data analysis of basic profile of participants”. The aim of the session was to introduce univariate and bivariate analysis along with the detailed breakdown of data analysis, data visualization and data interpretation. An enthusiastic group of participants from icddr, b and local institutes attended the session including physicians, statisticians and researchers from various backgrounds. The session was facilitated by Dr. Noshin Farzana and MD Saimul Islam. The participants actively engaged in discussions and shared their personal experiences which made the session very interactive and informative. Dr. Aliya Naheed regional lead TGHN Asia also gave her invaluable insight, wealth of experience, and guidance to the participants that significantly enhance the depth and quality of the discussion.

  Dr. Noshin Farzana and Md. Saimul Islam Facilitating the session

Session 4: Strategy of Data analysis by study design

The global health Network Asia, under its research strengthening and capacity building program, organized its fourth Research club session on December 24,2023 at icddr,b Mohakhali.

The Global Health Network Asia recently conducted an engaging research club session with the theme of "Strategy of Data Analysis by Study Design." The event brought together a group of researchers mostly from icddr,b who are committed to advancing healthcare research in the region. The event aimed to delve into the intricacies of aligning data analysis strategies with specific study designs to enhance the precision and reliability of research outcomes. Dr. Noshin Farzana and Md. Saimul Islam, the event's facilitators, shared their thoughts on addressing the challenges presented by various study designs ranging from observational studies to Randomized Controlled Trials. Attendees engaged in lively discussions, exchanging best practices and innovative approaches to optimize data analysis processes. To dive deeper into data analysis in a more interactive way, the session ended with a practical session where the participants analyzed data using a dummy dataset accessible in SPSS format. The Global Health Network Asia continued its commitment to advancing research excellence and fostering a community dedicated to the improvement of global health outcomes.

  Dr. Noshin Farzana and Md.Saimul Islam Facilitating The Session