Through their basic research work, the Centre s scientists continue to find practical solutions to prevent diarrhoeal disease outbreaks. The environmental health research in Bangladesh will have its impact on other communities worldwide that face similar environmental problems resulting in outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases. The importance of the public health concerns of environmental health cannot be underestimated. The promotion of public health messages and prevention strategies based on an understanding of the nature and extent of the growing environmental problems in our community are essential for developing appropriate solutions that will benefit people of all age groups and at every level of society. It is the work done at the field level by concerned communities, government agencies, and NGOs working together that is required to yield sustainable solutions.
Education is critical for advancing environmental health concerns.
Thus dissemination of information cannot be restricted to the community health workers and NGOs operating in the field, and messages must reach every household at every level. This underscores the important work done throughout the research community in Bangladesh in both vaccine research and environmental health. It also provides an excellent opportunity and a forum for us to interact with our colleagues and collaborators and learn of the research conducted in Bangladesh in these two important fields. Undoubtedly, some of the results and outcomes presented here will ultimately be shown to be important with implications for health policy and programmes in Bangladesh and in the global community. We invite you to fully participate in the conference proceedings, by interacting with the presenters.