MetLife launched 360Health, a first-of-its-kind healthcare mobile app aimed at helping people in Bangladesh prevent and manage serious illness
The new app-based solution is the only one in the market to comprehensively focus on five key aspects of managing critical illnesses: prevention of diseases; early diagnosis; access to treatment; ongoing care; and financial protection from insurance, to help users manage serious illnesses through a simple and engaging experience.
Busy lifestyles, poor diet and stress have led to a sharp rise in serious illnesses, including non-communicable diseases like cancer and diabetes, which are now estimated to account for 67% of deaths in Bangladesh. A recent MetLife study also found that affordability of healthcare; access to quality healthcare professionals; and quality of the hospitals are major concerns for Bangladeshis seeking to manage their health. The research also indicated that most people would opt for contactless online medical consultations, provided the quality is of a high standard given the current COVID-19 situation
Anyone can download the app for free from Google Play https://metlifebd.online/d4454e to access health awareness and disease prevention tools like BMI (Body Mass Index), COVID-19 symptom checker, individual health risk assessment, and the option to analyze one’s financial priorities to find suitable financial protection solutions. Based on specific insurance product subscriptions, MetLife customers can unlock exclusive features like free virtual doctor consultations, special discounts on diagnostic tests through their digital life card, and preferential access to specialists like Cardiologists, Psychologists, Nutritionists, Gynecologists, Gastrologists and General Surgeons
Customers will also be able to use the App to order medicines and other important health management devices online. In addition, customers will be able to get their policy related information including policy status, policy-maturity date and premium due date right from the app. World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/nmh/countries/bgd_en.pdf
New Vision Entrepreneurship Initiative to Improve Access to Vision Care for 2 Crore People in Bangladesh
A joint initiative by MetLife Foundation and EssilorLuxottica’s Social Impact Fund will help create over 800 vision entrepreneurs by 2023 to provide quality vision care services including vision testing and making eyeglasses for 2 crore people in rural Bangladesh.
With a pooled fund of USD 1 million, which includes equal contributions from MetLife Foundation and EssilorLuxottica’s Social Impact Fund, the program is implemented by TMSS (Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha), one of the largest development organizations in Bangladesh. TMSS conducts the recruitment and training of vision care providers known as vision entrepreneurs and provides them with other technical and non-technical assistance as needed to both establish as well as manage their businesses. The funding will enable TMSS to set up four new training centers across Jashore, Cumilla, Khulna and Chattogram and train over 800 new vision entrepreneurs, thereby creating sustainable access to vision care for nearly 2 crore Bangladeshis.
Bangladesh ranks among the top five countries in the world with the largest number of people suffering from uncorrected poor vision. The Covid-19 pandemic has added to financial difficulties for many people, especially those living in rural areas. The vision care skills training program aims to mitigate both challenges by mobilizing unemployed and under-employed youth in rural areas to become vision entrepreneurs. This enables them to provide assistance for many eye care needs, including vision testing and eyeglass making. Since the partners launched the program in 2021, over 125 vision entrepreneurs have undergone training and are now serving their neighboring communities.
MetLife Launches Country’s First Insurance Focused Comics: “HELLO BIMA – THE COMICS”
In the comics, two main characters - Mitu and Rony answer many commonly asked questions about insurance, as they speak to the audience of a fair. The comics can be read online here: https://metlifebd.online/hellobima A majority of Bangladeshis still lack awareness of the benefits of insurance protection, and there are some misconceptions about insurance. Through Hello Bima comics, MetLife Bangladesh aims to help people understand more about insurance and create a more secure future.
Nestle Sponsors Program to Aware Students on Water Crisis
As a part of Nestlé’s global flagship ‘Roadmap to Net Zero’, Nestlé Bangladesh has taken multiple and all possible measures to reduce the carbon footprint of the company in Bangladesh. As a leading industry in Food and Beverage sector, Nestlé Bangladesh also takes advocacy as a part of the roadmap to aware consumers and young enthusiasts of protecting the environment. Last year, the organization has launched Water Ambassadorship Program to aware the student community of the Water crisis. This year too Nestlé Bangladesh Limited has become a part of Stockholm Junior Water Prize Bangladesh with House of Volunteers to nourish and prepare the ambassadors on approaching water issues and to represent Bangladesh in the International platform. The finalists from the program will represent Bangladesh in Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2022 in Sweden. This is surely a proud occasion for the country. Also continuing the success of the program, this year Nestlé has arranged an Industrial Trip to the Sreepur factory enabling 15 young and enthusiastic finalists of ‘Stockholm Junior Water Program Bangladesh’ and national water ambassadors to see Nestlé.Bangladesh’s zero liquid Discharge process, how the factory manages water efficiency and the famous and favorite food on the making!
The trip was highly appreciated among the educationists and Nestlé Bangladesh was highly appreciated for showcasing the best practices. and as a partner, the organization is elated to support on the noble mission of making future leaders who would protect the environment.2022 marks the 156th year of the founding of Nestlé in Switzerland and it has been more than 29 years since the company have started their commercial operation in Bangladesh. Today, they are still guided by the purpose of unlocking the power of food, to enhance the quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. Regardless of who we are, where we live, and what we do, we all have a moral obligation towards each other, our future generation, and other species to sustain the planet. Thus, we believe that businesses and organizations must adopt a well-rounded approach towards sustainability, taking everything into account.
As the world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestlé is going beyond its commitment and specifying plans to achieve zero carbon emission by 2050 and halve it by 2025. Under this flagship of Roadmap to Net Zero, we have taken everything into account-our sourcing, our operations and most importantly our advocacy. At Nestlé, we are implementing detailed, rigorous, and tangible action plans to reduce our carbon footprint and we believe that we can convince others to do the same. Thus, advocacy of climate actions is a huge part of our journey and that has led us here, to partner with House of Volunteers to build ‘Water Ambassadors’ for the country.
Globally Nestlé’s one of the important CSV Initiative is ‘Caring for Water’. Caring for water is about more than simply using less. It is also about making sure vulnerable people have access to clean water and proper sanitation. We are uncompromising in our commitment to launch and support more local water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs every year. In Bangladesh, we have constructed safe drinking water facilities in 58 schools and sanitation facilities for girls in 39 schools which is benefitting more than 65,000 beneficiaries including communities and school councils. This is how we are supporting the government to achieve SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) no.6, that is ‘Clean water and Sanitation’.
Nestlé Bangladesh Limited’s Sreepur factory is also one of the leading manufacturing sites in Bangladesh to achieve ‘zero liquid discharge’. This means we do not expel wastewater from our production to the environment, rather we purify it again and use it in other non-food production operations, to protect the environment from the harmful effect of industrial wasteAddressing SDG no. 12, ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’, every year, we religiously bring down the amount of water used in producing our products by innovations in operations and technology in our factory. We are also planning to launch a ‘Water Education Program’ with the farmer community, training them to adopt sustainable agriculture practices with water usage. This will also strengthen our supply chain and help the development of agricultural practices.
So, as you can tell, Nestlé takes environmental issues as core business principles, and we strive to meet our global as well as market commitment to tackle climate actions. Our concern for the country’s water issue has led us to take various measures which ultimately sets a leading example in the industry and help the government to achieve the SDGs.
