City Bank and UNFPA on Tuesday announced launch of a partnership through Komlaphul Pharmacy Initiative to train young women as pharmacy associates, said a press release.
City Bank managing director and chief executive officer Mashrur Arefin and UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh Catherine Breen Kamkong signed an agreement in this regard in the capital on the day.
City Bank additional managing director and CFO Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, additional managing director and chief operating officer Mahia Juned, brand and marketing head Shahriar Jamil Khan, UNFPA chief of health Vibhavendra Singh Raghuvanshi, communications specialist Gulalek Soltanova and programme analyst 鈥� urban health Md Azmal Hossain were present at the signing ceremony.
The initiative builds on UNFPA鈥檚 successful pilot Komlaphul Pharmacy intervention with the relevant directorates of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which demonstrated that female pharmacists and associates are more trusted by women and girls, provide better counselling on SRH issues and help expand access to essential services.
Building on its success, City Bank is scaling up the project to create employment for women, foster inclusivity, touch the lives of marginal populations, and ensure greater, lasting community impact through improved access to SRH, the release said.
鈥楾his partnership with City Bank is a powerful example of how the private sector can play a transformative role in empowering women while expanding access to essential sexual and reproductive health services. By investing in young women as pharmacy associates, we are investing in healthier families, stronger communities and a more equitable society in Bangladesh,鈥� said Catherine Breen Kamkong.
Mashrur Arefin said, 鈥楢t City Bank, we believe financial inclusion must go hand in hand with social inclusion. This initiative with UNFPA is not just about training young women for jobs, but about creating pathways for dignity, independence, and leadership in their communities.鈥�
鈥楤y supporting women to become pharmacy associates, we are helping them transform both their own lives and the lives of countless others through improved access to healthcare and trusted counselling. This is aligned with our vision of building a more inclusive and sustainable Bangladesh,鈥� he said.
This is the first collaboration between UNFPA and City Bank, marking a milestone in advancing women鈥檚 empowerment and improving access to sexual and reproductive health services in underserved communities.
