Zubaida Rahman calls for coordinated drive in all 64 districts to prevent silent bone disease osteoporosis

An estimated six million people in the country are suffering from osteoporosis, the silent bone-thinning disease. The condition quietly reduces bone density, raises the risk of fractures and disrupts normal life for those affected. To tackle the situation, Dr Zubaida Rahman, vice-president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation and wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, has called for a coordinated programme in all 64 districts to raise public awareness, ensure regular testing and guarantee treatment for patients.

She made the remarks on Tuesday (20 October) as chief guest at a scientific seminar organised at the convention hall of the Super Specialized Hospital building of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) in the capital on the occasion of World Osteoporosis Day. The seminar, titled 'Osteoporosis: A Preventable Epidemic', was organised by the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB).

Dr Zubaida Rahman said osteoporosis is a silent disease in which bones become weak, thin and porous. As a result, the risk of sudden fractures rises and a patient's ability to carry out daily work declines. A huge number of people in Bangladesh suffer fractures and long-term hardship because of this disease, she noted.

She said effective steps to prevent osteoporosis must be taken now. If suitable preventive measures are taken for girls and young women, the prevalence and complications of the disease can be reduced greatly in future. Older women in particular face a higher risk of the disease, it was noted at the seminar.

Citing a 2025 estimate, she said around six million people in the country are believed to be affected by osteoporosis, though the real number could be even higher. Among older patients, the number of women is significantly higher.

Presenting findings from a study on women aged 45 to 80 in north-central Bangladesh, she said 40 percent of the women in that study had osteoporosis and 43.5 percent had osteopenia — meaning more than 83 percent of the participants had a deficiency in bone density.

In addition, an older hospital-based study on urban women aged 46 to 65 found an osteoporosis rate of 41.8 percent and an osteopenia rate of 40.7 percent. The figures point to how widespread the disease is, speakers at the seminar said.

She said it is difficult to determine exactly how many women in Bangladesh suffer from the disease, and that more research and regular screening are needed to learn its true picture.

Stressing a coordinated nationwide effort, Dr Zubaida Rahman proposed forming an osteoporosis society. Through such an organisation, she said, awareness programmes could be run in all 64 districts, and it must be ensured that people in no region are deprived of treatment for lack of awareness or testing opportunities.

She said doctors can play an important role in making people aware of the risks of the disease and in ensuring proper treatment for patients. There is also an opportunity to run nationwide awareness activities through one lakh health workers, she mentioned.

Proposing an osteoporosis awareness month every year, she said rallies, discussions and campaigns could be organised on the occasion. She also stressed seminars for doctors at district hospitals and specialised hospitals on modern methods of diagnosing the disease.

She called for screening camps to measure bone mineral density and for regular community-based testing opportunities. In areas where bone density measurement is unavailable, she spoke of assessing fracture risk using the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool.

Dr Zubaida Rahman said awareness for preventing osteoporosis must be built from childhood. For that, nutritional matters such as vitamin D deficiency, bone mineral density and adequate calcium intake in childhood must be given importance. She also called on academics and leading figures in the medical field to come forward to raise awareness on public health and nutrition.

She said there is no alternative to raising awareness about the disease, regular testing and ensuring treatment for patients if the long-term harm of osteoporosis is to be reduced.

The event was chaired by DAB president Professor Dr Harun Al Rashid, and BNP standing committee member and DAB chief adviser Professor Dr Farhad Halim Donar and Dr Abdus Salam MP spoke as special guests. The seminar included a question-and-answer session, a panel discussion and a quiz with experts. Professor Dr Erfanul Haque Siddique, Professor Dr Farooq Kashem, Professor Dr Syed Akram Hossain, Professor Dr Shamim Ahmed, Dr Sheikh Farid Ahmed and Professor Mohammad Belalul Islam took part in the panel discussion.

This year's World Osteoporosis Day programme is being observed under the theme 'Build bones for life, protect and strengthen them', with scientific support from Incepta. World Osteoporosis Day is observed every year on 20 October.