Text by Jennifer Manongdo
Photos by Raymart Sagpang
Senior officials from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh visited Manila on July 19-24, 2026, to cultivate an understanding of the Philippine nursing system and its role in the global health workforce, as part of ongoing efforts to reform and strengthen Bangladesh’s own health workforce.
Part of the delegation’s activities was a meeting with officials of the University of the Philippines Manila and the College of Nursing (UPCN), which the group hailed as a potential partner for collaboration for advancing their goals.
Dr. S. M. Ziauddin Hyder, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (with the status of State Minister) for Health Affairs, said Bangladesh’s new government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has placed health reform at the top of his administration’s political agenda. Rahman, who was elected in February 2026, is aiming to reform the country’s health system by shifting from a treatment-centered model to one that emphasizes prevention and primary care.
To achieve this, there is a need to strengthen the nursing, midwifery, and medical technology professions
“To make it happen, we need to rebuild our health system. While our doctors are very strong in the health system, some other very important pillars like nursing, midwifery, medical technologies [these pillars are very weak]. Until today, we haven’t been able to place nursing as a prestigious occupation in our society,” Dr. Hyder said.
“We know that the Philippines has done extremely well in nursing and midwifery education. We are here because we want to learn from the Philippines,” he added.
In April 2026, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson, Dr. Shirley Agrupis and the Ambassador of Bangladesh, Mohammad Sarwar Mahmood signed a Memorandum of Understanding that established a framework for cooperation in key areas such as student and faculty exchanges, joint training, and professional development. In line with the MOU, UP Manila has committed to provide
in-service and clinical training opportunities to nursing students of Bangladesh.
Strengthening Bangladesh’s Health Workforce
Bangladesh is at a critical stage in building up its health workforce as it works toward Universal Health Coverage, better service quality, and readiness to meet emerging challenges such as non-communicable diseases, an ageing population, and rising demand for community and long-term care. The government has made workforce development a priority, committing to recruit 100,000 healthcare workers while also raising the quality, competency, and global competitiveness of its nursing and midwifery professionals — including support for safe and ethical international employment pathways.
To help advance these goals, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is working with Bangladesh to identify strategic investments in nursing and midwifery education, modernize licensing and accreditation systems, improve governance, build faculty capacity, and develop professionals who can compete internationally.
The Philippines is widely regarded as a global leader in nursing, and its experience offers practical lessons for Bangladesh’s reform efforts.
The study visit was designed to let Bangladeshi policymakers engage directly with Philippine institutions, learn firsthand from the country’s experience, and identify practical approaches that can be adapted to Bangladesh’s context. Insights from the visit are expected to inform both ongoing reforms in Bangladesh and the design of the ADB-supported Nursing and Health Workforce Development Project.
Aside from Dr. Zyder, the Bangladesh delegation also included Dil Afroza, director general of the Directorate General of Nursing and Midwifery (DGNM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Dr. Syeda Salma Begum, joint secretary of the Medical Education and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Dr. Md. Zakir Hossain, deputy secretary of the Medical Education and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Nahida Parvin, deputy secretary of the Medical Education and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Abdullah Arif Muhammad, deputy secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance; and Md. Al Mamun, assistant personal secretary to the state minister for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was represented by Dr. Rui Liu, Senior Health Specialist; Ms. Yesle Kim, Health Specialist; and Dr. Alberto Jr Ong, Consultant.
The meeting was led by UPCN Dean Sheila Bonito, Assistant Professor Arnold Peralta, and Associate Professor Peter James Abad.
Hosted by the Office of International Linkages and UPCN, the study visit highlighted UPCN’s standing as a center of public sector nursing excellence, its designation as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center, and its leadership in nursing research and policy.
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