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| Type | Nonprofit PLC |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1974 in Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Headquarters | Dhaka , Bangladesh |
Key people | Siddiqur Rahman Choudhury (Chairman) |
| Website | smc-bd |
Social Marketing Company (aka SMC) is a Bangladeshi non-profit organisation [1] which offers education and products for family planning, maternal and child health, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and AIDS. It is the largest social marketing company in Bangladesh. [2]
The Social Marketing Project was initiated in 1974 [1] when AI.D./Washington, at the request of the Government of Bangladesh, contracted for a two-year program to distribute non-clinical contraceptives throughout the country. A sole-source contract was awarded to Population Services International (PSI), which then signed an agreement with the Government of Bangladesh establishing the activity as a parasternal one, with a project council serving as the board of directors. [3] In 1990, it became a company governed by a board of directors made out of volunteers. [4] AKM Shamsuddin was the founding managing director of the company. [5] Mohammad Mahbubuzzaman was the founding chairman of the company. [6] The council was chaired by the secretary of Health and Family Planning and contained representatives of the government, the private sector, and the international non-profit sector.
Social Marketing Company created SMC Enterprise Limited as a for profit venture in 2014. [3] The SMC Enterprise Limited will distribute the products of Social Marketing Company funnel profits to the Social Marketing Company. [4] It runs awareness programs on menstrual health. [7]
Toslim Uddin Khan was appointed acting Managing Director of Social Marketing Company in September 2022. [8]
| Name | Profession | Position | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waliul Islam | Civil servant | Chairman | [9] |
| Muhammed Ali | Civil servant | Director | [9] |
| Md. Siddique Ullah | Civil servant | Director | [9] |
| Aftab ul Islam | Businessman | Director | [9] |
| Muhammed Farhad Hussain | Banker | Director | [9] |
| Farhana Dewan | Gynecologist | Director | [9] |
| Jahir Uddin Ahmed | Civil servant | Director | [9] |
| Yasmin Hemayet Ahmed | Non-profit administrator | Director | [9] |
| Ahmed Mushtaque Raza Chowdhury | Academic | Director | [9] |
| Toslim Uddin Khan | Company official | Managing Director of Social Marketing Company | [9] |
| Abdul Haque | Company official | Managing Director of SMC Enterprise Limited | [9] |
SMC markets a variety of non-clinical (oral pills- Femicon, Minicon, Norette-28,Femipil,Ovacon Gold, Mypil, SmartPill & SmartPill Light and condoms – Raja, HERO, Panther, Sensation,U&ME,Xtreme & Amore) and clinical (Injectable "SOMA-JECT" & Sayena Press) contraceptives. [3]
The WHO-formula based packaged oral rehydration salt brand marketed by SMC is ORSaline-N. SMC extended its line of oral rehydration salt by introducing BNF – based flavored ORS brand 'ORSaline Fruity' in August 2003. It produced 60 percent of the oral saline in the Bangladeshi market in 2008. [10]
In May 2008, SMC introduced a small sachet of micronutrient powder, popularly known as 'Sprinkles", in the brand name of "MoniMix" to address childhood Iron deficiency anemia (IDA). [11] It also started marketing Zinc dispersible tablets in September 2008 to reduce the severity of diarrhea in children under 5. As part of its maternal and neonatal health programme, SMC launched Safe Delivery Kit branded as "Safety Kit" in 2008 to ensure clean child delivery at a household level.
| Brand | Product | Launch |
|---|---|---|
| Raja | Plain Latex condom | 1974 |
| Sensation | Classic Chocolate Strawberry | 1992 |
| Panther | Dotted latex condom | 1983 |
| U&ME | Colors Long love Anatomic | 2005 |
| Hero | Plain latex condom | 2006 |
| Xtreme | 3 in 1 Ultra Thin | 2014 |
| Amore | Gold Black | 2017 |
More than 100 men-strong sales force of SMC distribute products to the far-flung stockist and retail outlets promptly and regularly.
SMC covers more than 240,000 outlets each year directly through its sales network. In addition, numerous other retailers take supplies from the stockists.
Emergency contraception (EC) is a birth control measure, used after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), often referred to as the birth control pill or colloquially as "the pill", is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women. The pill contains two important hormones: a progestin and estrogen. When taken correctly, it alters the menstrual cycle to eliminate ovulation and prevent pregnancy.
Levonorgestrel is a hormonal medication which is used in a number of birth control methods. It is combined with an estrogen to make combination birth control pills. As an emergency birth control, sold under the brand names Plan B One-Step and Julie, among others, it is useful within 72 hours of unprotected sex. The more time that has passed since sex, the less effective the medication becomes, and it does not work after pregnancy (implantation) has occurred. Levonorgestrel works by preventing ovulation or fertilization from occurring. It decreases the chances of pregnancy by 57 to 93%. In an intrauterine device (IUD), such as Mirena among others, it is effective for the long-term prevention of pregnancy. A levonorgestrel-releasing implant is also available in some countries.
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is a type of fluid replacement used to prevent and treat dehydration, especially due to diarrhea. It involves drinking water with modest amounts of sugar and salts, specifically sodium and potassium. Oral rehydration therapy can also be given by a nasogastric tube. Therapy should routinely include the use of zinc supplements. Use of oral rehydration therapy has been estimated to decrease the risk of death from diarrhea by up to 93%.
Bangladesh Export Import Company Limited, commonly known by its trade name BEXIMCO, is a Bangladeshi multinational conglomerate holding company, headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was founded in the early 1970s.
Extended or continuous cycle combined oral contraceptive pills are a packaging of combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) that reduce or eliminate the withdrawal bleeding that would occur once every 28 days in traditionally packaged COCPs. It works by reducing the frequency of the pill-free or placebo days. Extended cycle use of COCPs may also be called menstrual suppression, although other hormonal medications or medication delivery systems may also be used to suppress menses. Any brand of combined oral contraceptive pills can be used in an extended or continuous manner by simply discarding the placebo pills; this is most commonly done with monophasic pills in which all of the pills in a package contain the same fixed dosing of a synthetic estrogen and a progestin in each active pill.
Norgestrel is a progestin which is used in birth control pills sold under the brand name Ovral in combination with the estrogen ethinylestradiol and Opill by itself. It is also used in menopausal hormone therapy. It is taken by mouth.
ICDDR,B is an international health research organisation located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dedicated to saving lives through research and treatment, ICDDR,B addresses some of the most critical health concerns facing the world today, ranging from improving neonatal survival to HIV/AIDS. In collaboration with academic and research institutions over the world, ICDDR,B conducts research, training and extension activities, as well as programme-based activities, to develop and share knowledge for global lifesaving solutions.
The National Women's Health Network (NWHN) is a non-profit women's health advocacy organization located in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1975 by Barbara Seaman, Alice Wolfson, Belita Cowan, Mary Howell, and Phyllis Chesler. The stated mission of the organization is to give women a greater voice within the healthcare system. The NWHN researches and lobbies federal agencies on such issues as AIDS, reproductive rights, breast cancer, older women's health, and new contraceptive technologies. The Women's Health Voice, the NWHN's health information program, provides independent research on a variety of women's health topics.
Adam & Eve is an American conglomerate company that sells adult products through e-commerce. In 2004, it was the largest e-commerce distributor of condoms, sex toys, and erotica in the United States. Its parent company, PHE Inc., is the largest private employer in Hillsborough, North Carolina, where its headquarters are situated. The company funds non-profit social marketing organizations that address issues such as population growth, disease control, and sex education in developing countries.
BRAC Bank Limited is a private commercial bank in Bangladesh, founded in 2001. The bank is a subsidiary of BRAC, a leading development organization in the country. BRAC Bank is known for its focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Birth control in the United States is available in many forms. Some of the forms available at drugstores and some retail stores are male condoms, female condoms, sponges, spermicides, and over-the-counter emergency contraception. Forms available at pharmacies with a doctor's prescription or at doctor's offices are oral contraceptive pills, patches, vaginal rings, diaphragms, shots/injections, cervical caps, implantable rods, and intrauterine devices (IUDs). Sterilization procedures, including tubal ligations and vasectomies, are also performed.
ONE Bank Limited (OBL) is a private sector commercial bank in Bangladesh. It is in the business of taking deposits from public through various saving schemes and lending the fund in various sectors at a higher margin. A.S.M. Shahidullah Khan is chairman and Md. Monzur Mofiz is the managing director of One Bank Limited.
The first large-scale human trial of the birth control pill was conducted by Gregory Pincus and John Rock in 1955 in Puerto Rico. Before the drug was approved as safe in the mainland U.S., many Puerto Rican women were used as test subjects. These trials are a major component in the history of the development of female oral contraceptives, occurring in between initial small trial testing on the east coast and the release of the drug for public consumption. As a result, women gained more independence as they were able to delay pregnancies. The trials are controversial because the Puerto Rican women were uninformed of the potential health and safety risks of the drug. There was a large amount of criticism coming from feminist circles surrounding the trial.
First Security Islami Bank Limited is a public limited bank in Bangladesh which was founded on 29 August 1999 provides sharia compliant banking. Mohammed Saiful Alam, chairman of S. Alam Group of Industries, is the chairman of First Security Islami Bank Limited. The bank experienced a cash crunch in 2022 after proving large unsecured loans.
United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) is a public commercial bank in Bangladesh established in 1983, listed on Dhaka Stock Exchange and Chittagong Stock Exchange.
Family planning in Bangladesh is carried out by government agencies and supported by non-government organisations. The Directorate General of Family Planning is the government agency responsible for family planning in Bangladesh. Marie Stopes Bangladesh is an international NGO that provides family planning services in Bangladesh.
Drospirenone/estetrol, sold under the brand name Nextstellis, Drovelis, and Lydisilka, among others, is a fixed-dose combination medication containing drospirenone, a progestin, and estetrol, an estrogen, which is used as a combined birth control pill for the prevention of pregnancy in women. It is taken by mouth.
Meghna Petroleum Limited is a Bangladesh petroleum company owned by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, a state owned corporation. Mir Saifullah-Al-Khaled is the managing director of Meghna Petroleum Limited. Md. Anisur Rahman, Senior Secretary at the Energy and Mineral Resources Division is the chairman of the Board of Directors of Meghna Petroleum Limited. It is one of three major petroleum corporations owned by the Government of Bangladesh along with Padma Oil Company and Jamuna Oil Company.
Siddiqur Rahman Choudhury is a former secretary of finance of Bangladesh and Chairperson of Social Marketing Company. He is the former Chairman of Agrani Bank, Sadharan Bima Corporation, and Sonali Bank. He is Independent Director of MIDAS Financing Limited.
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