The Department of Public Health, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB) jointly with wEvolve, NiHealth, and Down Syndrome Society of Bangladesh organized a Seminar on “Importance of Mental Health in Public Health” focusing on the mental health of university students at the AIUB Auditorium on Wednesday, 26 July 2023. The Founder Member and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of AIUB and the Chairman of wEvolve, Ms. Nadia Anwar attended the program as chief guest. The Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Abdur Rahman, the Registrar Prof. Dr. Zahidul Islam Khan, the Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, AIUB, Professor Dr. Tazul Islam, Associate Deans, faculties, and students of different departments attended the program.
Dr. Tanjir Rashid Soron, Psychiatrist and Managing Director, NiHealth, Ms. Rifat Sharmin, Clinical Psychologist, wEvolve, and Mr. Sarder A Razzak, Chairman, Down Syndrome Society of Bangladesh, presented on key topics in mental health related to university students, including
“Mind and Mental Health,” “Exam Phobia,” and “Learning Disabilities.”
Dr. Muhammad Wasiful Alam, head of the Department of Public Health, delivered the keynote address on the value of studying public health in order to work in the fields of mental health and other developing areas of public health connected to both physical and mental health. Additionally, he noted that a variety of health issues, including COVID-19, Dengue, Cancer, Diabetes, and others, are currently affecting people all over the world. To address these issues, experts from interdisciplinary fields, including biochemistry, pharmacy, and microbiology, as well as law, engineering, economics, social sciences, and information technology, are needed. Therefore, a master’s degree in public health adds professional value to help individuals advance their careers and meet SDG objectives.
The chief guest of the program, Ms. Nadia Anwar, briefly remarked that today it is important to concentrate on mental health awareness and prevention in order to establish strong interpersonal relationships, perform well at work, and maintain physical fitness. She added that only a small number of businesses care about the mental health of their workers and connected parties, such as students, and that AIUB is one of the first university to strive to concentrate on the mental health of students, faculty, and staff. She continued by saying that the Public Health Department at AIUB is also focused on mental health, making it distinct from many other universities in terms of its study on this subject.
Finally, Professor Dr. Tazul Islam handed over crests as tokens of appreciation to the Honorable Chief Guest and other guests and concluded the program with his vote of thanks.
