They pointed out that policy-makers in developing countries tend to allocate funds for infrastructure and equipment more than considering the real needs for the disadvantaged people.

But a large numbers of infrastructures in many South Asian countries remain idle whereas similar infrastructures run by NGOs are put to their maximum utilisation, they said, adding that the challenges of policy-makers are to put ideas into practical use.

The Centre for Health, Population and Development of the Independent University, Bangladesh in collaboration with the Global Equity Gauge Alliance (GEGA) organised the workshop on 'Health systems and equity'. The CIDA sponsored the event.

The three-day workshop, that ended yesterday, was aimed at promoting equity within and between societies and achieving equity in health systems in South Asian countries.

The issue of equity in the health system is a major concern for the policy planners and it is a challenge for members of the civil society, academicians, health professionals, researchers, non-government organisations and policy-makers to foster dialogue with the aim of developing a training module on the issue with South Asian perspective, the speakers said.

"South Asia's real wealth is its people. We can completely change the economic and political destiny of South Asian countries by investing more on these people," said a speaker.

Prof Omar Rahman, executive director of the Centre for Health, Population & Development, IUB, Prof Jafrullah Choudhury of Gonoshashthya Kendra, ASM Amanullah of IUB, Liliana Jadue of GEGA, Kawsar Afsana of Brac and Saiful Bari of ATN Bangla spoke at the closing ceremony of the workshop.

A total of 20 participants from South Asian, South American and European countries attended the workshop.