Speakers at a seminar underscored the need for taking special steps to reduce school drop-out as well as development of maternal health in the char and coastal areas.

The speakers said this while addressing a seminar organised by Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha at Jatiya Press Club in the city on Thursday.

Speakers said that although the maternal mortality and child mortality rates have decreased in the country but the situation in char and coastal areas hasn’t improved much.

Poor health-services, doctor’s absence in remote areas, shortage of gynaecologists and many other reasons contribute to the death of a good number of mothers in the chars and coastal areas, observed the speakers.

They also demanded to make functional of inactive community clinics, ensure doctors’ presence in the hospitals and turn the community clinics into mothers’ care centre with a view to developing the present scenario. —UNB