The Areca Nut Paradox in Bangladesh: A Rapid Review of Cultural Embeddedness, Public Health Risks, Livelihood Dependence, and Policy Gaps

Read it here or download the PDF version By Nabila Binth Jahan & Dr. Rumana Huque 1. INTRODUCTION The areca nut, also known as the betel nut, is the fruit of the Areca catechu L. palm from the Arecaceae family (Tong et al., 2024). In Bangladesh, it is known locally as Supari or Gua. This
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Universal Health Coverage needs more than a bigger budget. It needs institutions and skills

As the nation is heading towards its 13th national election, the long queue of people’s demands is lining up behind all the competitive political parties. Health sector experts are also sharing their demands across various platforms, and one common question that has repeatedly been raised and debated is what strategy the newly elected government will
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ThinkSpace: Quarterly Research Digest

ARK Foundation is pleased to launch ThinkSpace, a quarterly magazine developed to showcase evidence, reflections, and learning from ongoing research and field engagement. This edition features stories from researchers, implementation insights, and policy-relevant themes. 📖 Read here: ThinkSpace  or HTML version
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Taking a strategic approach to urban health: a guide for decision-makers

Read the full report here We’re delighted to share that ARK Foundation has been featured in the new World Health Organization (WHO) publication, ‘𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡: 𝐀 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬.’ The WHO report highlights that with most of humanity now living in cities; health-oriented, sustainable urban development is no longer a
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𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 | 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞

Cities like Dhaka and Khulna are growing fast, but not everyone has equal access to safe, healthy spaces. Through the 𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐔𝐒 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭, ARK Foundation is working with women and communities to co-create inclusive urban solutions that make physical activity and wellbeing part of daily life. This is what urban crisis response looks like
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#ARKPodcast: From Ideas to Impact: The Innovation Fund Story

We’re excited to bring you the latest episode of the ARK Podcast! Join our host Abdullah M. Rafi as he sits down with Mr. Badruddin Saify, Research Associate at ARK, to talk about his inspiring Innovation Fund journey – early challenges, key learnings, and the drive to make research impactful.  Tune in for insights, reflections,
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Development of a Framework for Establishing Maternity Insurance in Bangladesh

Download Report Bangladesh is preparing to introduce a maternity insurance scheme by 2026, aligning with its National Social Security Strategy. This report presents an evidence-based framework tailored to the country’s healthcare and labour realities, especially for low-income and informal sector women. Drawing on national data and international best practices, it outlines a universal, mandatory, and
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Report on Roundtable on ‘Health Budget FY2025-26: Expectations & Realities’

Download PDF Report on Roundtable on ‘Health Budget FY2025-26: Expectations & Realities’ The national budget for FY 2025–26 in Bangladesh carries significant importance, as the country stands at a critical juncture in its journey toward a new era. Under the leadership of the interim government, Finance Advisor Dr. Saleh Uddin Ahmed unveiled a Tk 790
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Harnessing mHealth to End TB: A Digital Prescription for a Persistent Challenge

Abdullah Muhammad Rafi, Shakhawat Hossain Rana Read PDF here Let’s start the story with a few numbers. First of all, every year, 379,000 people in Bangladesh are newly affected by Tuberculosis, that’s more than 1,000 cases a day, and out of the almost four hundred thousand patients, more than 44,000 people die each year. Imagine
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How Active are the Residents of Dhaka? Perceptions and Challenges in Maintaining Physical Activity in Urban Bangladesh

By Umme Salma Anee, CHORUS Research Assistant, ARK Foundation To implement a CHORUS Innovation Fund project in Bangladesh, the team at ARK Foundation has been working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including policy makers, community leaders, teachers, Imams, youth groups, adolescents, guardians, pregnant women, elderly women, and people with physical challenges, to address barriers
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