GIS Solution for Health Science

A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer-based tool that organizes and displays data. In the health organization, GIS provides powerful tools for geographic and spatial analysis, and it allows you to visualize data that may have gone unseen in spreadsheets, charts, and other reports.

GIS puts information at your fingertips, allowing you to obtain accurate information quickly. By integrating database operations, such as query and statistical analysis, with geographical and spatial visualization, you are able to predict, plan, and recommend interventions and strategies with confidence.

What is GIS doing for Health Organization Today?

GIS technology is powerful and affordable. Its strengths lie in its ability to create, access, integrate, and publish large amounts of geographically relevant information. Here are just a few of the ways GIS is working in health organizations today:

• Track infectious diseases and identify gaps in child immunizations.

• Conduct market studies and document health care needs of a community.

• Manage materials, supplies, human resources, and logistics.

• Maintain locational inventories of health care facilities, providers, and vendors.

• Route health care workers, equipment, and supplies to service locations.

• Publish health care information using maps on the Internet.

• Manage patient care environments and clinical resources.

• Distribute clinical data in a visual and geographic form.

• Locate the nearest health care facility or health care provider on the Web.

 Courtesy: ESRI

BIOME: Landslides in Chittagong, Bangladesh

BIOME: Landslides in Chittagong, Bangladesh: "Landslides are a natural phenomenon, but it is accelerated by human action. It is now a great concern in south-eastern parts of Bangladesh ..."

Landslides in Chittagong, Bangladesh

Landslides are a natural phenomenon, but it is accelerated by human action. It is now a great concern in south-eastern parts of Bangladesh like Sylhet, Moulvi Bazar, Habigang, Chittagong and CHT. It can be defined as the downward movement of a large mass of earth or rocks from a hill or mountain due to natural variability and human activity. Landslide is not a new theme in the context of Chittagong. During the last three decades, Chittagong suffered about 12 landslides. Death toll during the last three decades is around 200.

I think it is time to think how we can mitigate losses caused by landslides. At first we have to identify vulnerable areas by GIS based hazard mapping, plan to shift the people who are at risk to safe areas, kick off site and service scheme for urban poor etc. Hill cutting should be totally stopped, no agricultural cultivation should be allowed on hills, proper plantation of trees and creation of green belts on hills and quick drainage of rainwater must be ensured. Lastly, the local administration should be more active and people's awareness must be raised to avoid repetition of such incidents in future

Landslides in Chittagong

Landslides are a natural phenomenon, but it is accelerated by human action. It is now a great concern in south-eastern parts of Bangladesh like Sylhet, Moulvi Bazar, Habigang, Chittagong and CHT. It can be defined as the downward movement of a large mass of earth or rocks from a hill or mountain due to natural variability and human activity. Landslide is not a new theme in the context of Chittagong. During the last three decades, Chittagong suffered about 12 landslides. Death toll during the last three decades is around 200.

I think it is time to think how we can mitigate losses caused by landslides. At first we have to identify vulnerable areas by GIS based hazard mapping, plan to shift the people who are at risk to safe areas, kick off site and service scheme for urban poor etc. Hill cutting should be totally stopped, no agricultural cultivation should be allowed on hills, proper plantation of trees and creation of green belts on hills and quick drainage of rainwater must be ensured. Lastly, the local administration should be more active and people's awareness must be raised to avoid repetition of such incidents in future

Climate Changes and effects on Bangladesh

Bangladesh is likely to be among the countries that are the worst affected by climate change. Climate change refers to the changes in climatic elements behavior, due to natural variability and human activity. Changes in the world’s climate are not new. But it was now being a world great concern, due to unplug or misbehave of climatic variability’s. Such as more frequently attacked extreme events in human society in last few decades as, extensive floods, cyclone, tidal surge, tsunami, drought, river bank erosion etc. UNDP has identified Bangladesh to be the most vulnerable country in the world to tropical cyclones and the sixth most vulnerable country to floods. On the average, 80 tropical cyclones are formed every year all over the globe. Bangladesh is a part of humid tropics, with the Himalayas in the north and the funnel shaped coast touching the Bay of Bengal in the south. This peculiar geography of Bangladesh causes not only the life giving monsoons but also catastrophic ravages of cyclones, norwesters, tornadoes and floods. The Bay of Baegal is an ideal breeding ground for tropical cyclone. From historical records it has observed that increases the number of natural hazards and events. The amount of looses and death are decreases due to natural hazard in Bangladesh. Such as in 1991 cyclones, the total death is 1, 40,000. On the other hand in 2007 SIDRs, total death is only 3500. But the intensity of cyclone SIDR is more than 1991 cyclone. In Aila, May 25, 2009 the total death is 179 (Prothom Alo, June 3, 2009). This is only possible for intensive disaster management programmed of Bangladesh.  However, Bangladesh is a deltaic country located in the lower part of the basins of the three greatest rivers in the world—the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna. The floodplain of these rivers and their numerous tributaries and distributaries cover about 80 percent of the country. As a result of the flat topography of the floodplain every year one third of the country are annually flooded and occurred a lot of losses. Also, the NW region of Bangladesh is more prone to drought than others. During the last 50 years, Bangladesh suffered about 20 times from drought conditions. Drought is more responsible for famine in northern Bangladesh also desertification process. Drought adversely affects crop production in Bangladesh. For geographical settings Bangladesh has a great vulnerable in Earthquake. However for climatic change, Bangladesh also has a great vulnerability in Sea level rise, Tsunami, Global warming, Green house effects, etc.

Extreme events due to climate change are natural phenomena. We could not stop it. But we have to learn live with it as cope or mitigate it by disaster management. We have to strengthen the cyclone warning system and adopt protective and relief measures to minimize their onslaught. Strong built house have to built and coastal embankment have to build high above the sea level to serve as cyclone shelters. People from the low lying areas in the coastal areas in the coastal region can be evacuated into these shelters in the event of a cyclone, navigate the rivers and ensure the smooth flow of all national and international rivers. National and international organization fund should be collected for preparedness, development and rehabilitation program fro proper disaster management. Lastly, it should be remain that to save our planet we make to use this planet environmental friendly as stop deforestation and more aforestation stop built barrage on rivers locally and internationally. Come to the developed nations and sign this agreement to reduce the use of CFC and CO and maintain Kyoto Protocol, CDM, Yokohama Strategy, and Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015.

Inter River Linking Project and Bangladesh

River system in South Asia mainly concentrate on the Bangladesh- India river system. There are main three trans-boundary rivers between India and Bangladesh that make the country dependent on India (upper stream) for its river basin management. 

India and Bangladesh share 54 trans-boundary rivers having the most vital  rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna (GBM). GBM systems coverage  about 10 % of global population is living in this area. There are some river linking project presently and some are to be constructed all over the Asia, especially by the upper riparian countries like India, China and also by Nepal in this region. Indian Government has an Interlinking River (ILR) plan. Under this plan India will join 37 rivers by 30 links. 

The National River Linking Project (NRLP) is designed to ease water shortages in western and southern India while mitigating the impacts of recurrent floods in the eastern parts of the Ganges basin.  River Linking projects of India are mainly categorized in two ways as (a) Peninsular Components (b) Himalayan Components. Peninsular Components; this part consists of 16 river linking projects.  The links of this component will irrigate about 130,000 square kilometers of land and will generate about 4 GW of hydro-electricity.  Himalayan Components; this is the upper (part) of India that is mostly river originating area for South Asian rivers.  There will be created a series of reservoirs along Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins. 

Water will be diverted from Brahmaputra (India) to the Ganges and  Ganges also will be linked to the Mahanadi. This will irrigate 220,000 square kilometers of land in this region. There will be generated about 30 GW of hydro-power from this component of the project. China is also trying to divert the river water from its natural course. The Brahmaputra and Jamuna flows will decrease drastically by 60 %, if the project is implemented. If our upper stream countries are going this way then our Bnagladesh (lower riparian country) will be faces a horrible environmental crisis such as; reduction in availability of water resources both surface and ground water, deterioration of water quality, changes river morphology, salinity in soil, surface and ground water, modification of flood regime. shifting of agricultural practice, destruction of the ecosystem. 

Bangladesh is a lower riparian country. On the other hand India is a giant and rising & booming super power in south Asia competing China. Mr. India always want to deprive his neighbor small and weak countries through bilateral discussion. So it needs to force India to come in the table of multilateral discussion even by the international communities to save our environment.