South Asian Institute for Social Transformation-SAIST

28/09/2026

On World Rabies Day (28 September), we join the World Health Organization (WHO) and global health partners in raising awareness for rabies prevention and control. This year’s theme, “Stronger Together,” underscores a critical truth: rabies elimination is only possible when human, animal, and environmental health sectors work in unison through a One Health approach.

Rabies is 100% preventable, yet it claims thousands of lives every year. Protecting our communities starts with timely pet vaccinations, responsible animal care, and immediate medical attention including thorough wound washing and post-exposure prophylaxis following any potential bite or scratch.

By expanding access to dog vaccinations, strengthening disease surveillance, and spreading awareness, we can eliminate rabies as a public health threat.

Let us stand together to protect our families, pets, and communities. 🐾💉

21/09/2026

World Alzheimer’s Day 2026: The Importance of Early Diagnosis

On World Alzheimer’s Day (21 September), we join the global health community in raising awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This year’s theme “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters” highlights the crucial role of early detection in improving care and quality of life.

Recognizing early warning signs, such as persistent memory loss or changes in daily thinking habits, allows individuals and families to seek timely professional medical advice. While there is currently no cure, an early diagnosis opens the door to effective symptom management, lifestyle adjustments, and vital support networks.

Beyond clinical care, creating a compassionate society requires offering dignity, patience, and understanding to those living with dementia and their caregivers.

Let us work together to promote early awareness, break down stigma, and ensure every family receives the support they need. 🧠💜

14/09/2026

Happy Birthday to Omar Faruk Rana! 🎉✨

Today, the SAIST Foundation family is delighted to extend our warmest birthday wishes to our dedicated Junior Research Fellow, Omar Faruk Rana.

From ensuring smooth operational workflows to actively supporting ground-level fieldwork, your commitment, hard work, and proactive support play a vital role in our research activities.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the team. Wishing you a wonderful day filled with joy, sound health, and great success in your academic and research journey ahead! 🎈🎂

12/09/2026

Happy Birthday to Our Executive Director! 🎉✨

Today, the SAIST Foundation family extends our warmest birthday wishes to our esteemed Executive Director, Dr. U S Rokeya Akhter.

Your visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to public health research, and constant encouragement continue to inspire every member of our team. Thank you for guiding us toward excellence with integrity and passion.

Wishing you a wonderful day filled with joy, sound health, and continued success in all your future endeavors. 🌸🎂

07/09/2026

International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 🌍✨ | Data for Action

Clean air is a fundamental human right, yet air pollution remains one of the most critical environmental health threats globally. Exposure to ambient air pollution severely impacts public health, increasing the risks of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and adverse birth outcomes.

In Bangladesh, developing targeted public health interventions and environmental health policies has historically been constrained by a major data gap—the national ground-monitoring network consists of only 16 continuous air quality monitoring stations (CAMDs) across the entire country, which is far from sufficient to measure local-level exposures for our population.

To bridge this crucial evidence gap, SAIST Foundation is highlighting an ongoing open-access research initiative on this International Day of Clean Air:

📊 64-District High-Resolution Air Pollution Data (2018–2024)
As shared recently, after nearly a year of rigorous data processing and spatio-temporal analysis, our team developed monthly exposure profiles for 6 major criteria air pollutants covering all 64 districts of Bangladesh over a 7-year period.

📍 Explore the Interactive Exposure Map:
👉https://juwelrana.com/Criteria-Air-Pollutants-in-Bangladesh/district.html

Advancing Public Health Research & Collaboration:
• Data Linkage Opportunities: This initiative aims to make localized environmental exposure data accessible so public health researchers can link air quality data with clinical, epidemiological, and nutritional outcome datasets.
• Open for Collaboration: We welcome partnerships with epidemiologists, data scientists, and environmental health researchers to conduct joint studies.
• Next Big Phase: Work is already underway to generate Bangladesh’s first daily, high-resolution air pollution dataset at granular spatial scales.

Evidence-based policymaking begins with robust environmental data. Let’s leverage data science to protect public health and ensure cleaner air for all.

📩 For research collaboration and data-sharing inquiries, feel free to reach out via email or message.

03/09/2026

29/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations, Mujtanibah Zahan!

SAIST Foundation proudly congratulates Mujtanibah Zahan, former Research Fellow at SAIST Foundation and Gold Medalist from the Institute of Education and Research (IER), Jagannath University, on her remarkable achievement.

She has been awarded a fully funded PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas State University, USA, through a Graduate Instructional Assistantship, beginning Fall 2026.

We are incredibly proud of her achievement and wish her continued success in this exciting new journey!

Congratulations, Mujtanibah!