The CSC is delighted to present our next individual impact case study in our ongoing series highlighting the achievements and impacts of Commonwealth Alumni around the world.
This study features Dr Tanjir Rashid Soron, a clinical psychiatrist, researcher and entrepreneur who completed a Master’s degree in Global eHealth at the University of Edinburgh in 2019 as a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholar. The education provided by the University of Edinburgh was essential to Tanjir, and it contributed towards filling the skills gap in eHealth in Bangladesh; to Tanjir’s knowledge, he is the only person in the country holding a Master’s degree in eHealth.
Tanjir was determined to use his skills to address the fundamental inequalities in healthcare provision in Bangladesh. He recognised that mental healthcare in particular was inaccessible for the majority of Bangladesh’s rural poor, where geographical and financial constraints acted as barriers to care. Tanjir believed that it was possible to address these challenges through the implementation of digital technologies. This promoted him to seek out opportunities for further study in this field.
Tanjir identifies his increased theoretical understanding as the most significant change he has experienced as a result of the Scholarship:
‘This change is significant because it allowed me to transition from localised impact to a broader, more global influence. These advancements have not only reshaped my career but also solidified my role as a leader in eMental Health, allowing me to make substantial contributions both in Bangladesh and on the international stage.’
Since his graduation, Tanjir has gone on to be a pioneer in the field of eHealth in Bangladesh. In 2019, he established the Telepsychiatry Research and Innovation Network Ltd, a research organisation focussed on mental eHealth. Tanjir also collaborated with an IT company to found MindTale, Bangladesh’s first nationwide call-based mental health service. This service provides critical mental health support 24/7 across Bangladesh. MindTale has been transformative for populations in Bangladesh who previously had little or no access to mental healthcare services. Since it was established, the service has received more than 20,000 calls from patients across the country.
Seeking to expand access to mental healthcare still further, Tanjir established MonerDaktar, Bangladesh’s first web-based mental health platform. MonerDaktar offers patients online consultations with psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. The platform became a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was used by 90% of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in Bangladesh to provide care for more than 2,500 patients. Alongside MonerDaktar, Tanjir also established a separate platform called MonerJotno. MonerJotno provides mental wellbeing resources that empower people to maintain and improve their own mental health.
Tanjir identifies improving access to mental health care though digital technologies as the most significant change he has brought to his community:
‘When I began my Master’s in Global eHealth, there was virtually no access to expert mental health professionals in the remote areas of Bangladesh, as most psychiatrists and clinical psychologists were concentrated in urban centres… Today, thanks to these efforts, access to mental health services has vastly improved, allowing people from any part of the country to receive expert care.’
Alongside his work on eHealth platforms, Tanjir has also continually advocated for the rights of young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other forms of neurodiversity. He was involved in the development of Bangladesh’s Integrated Disability Inclusive Education Policy, which ensures a more inclusive and supportive environment for neurodiverse pupils in Bangladeshi schools.
Beyond Bangladesh, Tanjir has also worked with the World Health Organisation to develop the mental health treatment gap (mhGAP) programme for the Maldives, in addition to supporting the drafting of the Maldives national mental health strategic plan. In the future, he hopes that the successful model of care that he has contributed towards in Bangladesh can be rolled out in other low- and middle-income countries around the world.
Tanjir’s work supports two CSC development themes: Strengthening Health Systems and Capacity; and Access, Inclusion and Opportunity. Furthermore, his work contributes to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 4 – Quality Education, and SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities.
