Advertisment

Bangladesh - In a remote corner, healthcare is provided

In remote Bangladesh, healthcare is scarce, and the Brahmanbazar Christian Health Project (BCHP) aims to address this issue. With a focus on providing low-cost healthcare to ethnic minorities and disadvantaged communities, BCHP offers a range of services including mother and child care. By training midwives, rural health workers, and traditional birth attendants, BCHP is working towards reducing maternal mortality and improving healthcare accessibility in the region. Find out more about BCHP's initiatives in this article.

author-image
Medriva Newsroom
New Update

NULL

Advertisment

Brahmanbazar Christian Health Project (BCHP)

Advertisment

Due to a scarcity of qualified specialists, Bangladesh's 168 million people lack access to healthcare. A large section of the population does not have access to basic health care. According to the Ministry of Health, for every 10,000 people, there are only 6 doctors, nurses, and midwives. Bangladesh has the second-worst doctor-patient ratio in South Asia, at 5.26 to 10,000, according to the WHO.

The Brahmanbazar Christian Health Project {BCHP}, also known as the Brahmanbazar Christian Mission Hospital, is a fantastic hospital in Moulvibazar. BCHP is located in Kulaura upazila, the largest in Moulvibazar district, on 545 square metres. People who are poor or disadvantaged do not receive proper health care. BCHP was established in 1991.

The Norwegian Santal Mission created it to give low-cost healthcare to ethnic minorities in need. There is a full-time resident medical officer on staff, as well as a general surgeon, gynaecologist, SACMO, and competent nurses. Visiting specialists from reputable government and non-government hospitals come every weekend. It contains a contemporary pathology section, skilled technicians, a pharmacy, and the district's largest occupational therapy department.

Advertisment

Its PHC offers Mother and Child Care, with a focus on expectant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers. BCHP serves Moulvibazar and the adjacent villages. The main purpose is to reach out to Kulaura inhabitants, notably the Khasia Tribe and the Tea Estate Labor Communities. 60 of the 71 Khasia Punjees are located in Moulavibazar (Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Sreemongal, and Sunamgonj). The Headman and Mantri govern over the Khasia. Punjee (village) is 30 minutes to 2 hours walk from the nearest road.

Another vulnerable category is tea garden labourers. The bulk of tea garden workers are descendants of slaves. According to the most current agreement, permanent workers will be paid taka 120 per day in 2020, while permanent, casual, male, female, and adolescent workers would be paid taka 102 per day in 2018. Rations are included in the average monthly wage of $2,652. A tea worker's monthly salary is Tk 49,645 ($584), or Tk 137 ($1.6) a day for a family, which is well below the international poverty level.

Because of its location, BCHP may assist disadvantaged and marginalised individuals, tea-estate labourers, and Khasia Punjee (village). It helps underprivileged residents reduce maternal mortality. The majority of moms who died in tea gardens gave birth at home (80%), and many of them also died at home (40 percent ).

Advertisment

Only 27% of tea garden women died after four prenatal visits. A postpartum haemorrhage could be fatal (47 percent ). As a result, BCHP undertakes a number of initiatives in order to assist Bangladesh in meeting its "sustainable development target (SDG)" of 70/100,000 live births.

In addition to providing healthcare, BCHP trains midwives, rural health workforces, village doctors, and traditional birth attendants. In different sections of the country, midwives, rural health workforces, village doctors, and TBA can all be found. A free medical camp was held in Kulaura Thana, Moulvibazar, on February 9, 2022, by Panai Punji's headman. Mr. Kolbat says, "This punjee has 100 families." Addison (a BCHP-trained rural health provider) is the only primary care provider in this punjee.

Addison recommends when, how, and where to treat. Addison and BCHP are wonderful. Our community will be happy if we can obtain more health providers like him." A patient from Panai punjee had to go 3 kilometres to reach the local road. The hospital is 22 kilometres away from where I live. They've been entrapped.

BCHP has worked to increase accessibility. Prof Momdud Hossain, the leader of the Brahmanbazar union, praised BCHP's work. In the future, he will continue to support the facility. In Bangladesh, maternal difficulties are responsible for 172 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to a research.

In difficult-to-reach and disadvantaged places, such as Bangladesh's tea fields, the fatality rate is higher. Tea garden ladies lack information, education, and access to health care. Poverty, early marriage, and early pregnancy are all factors that contribute to maternal deaths in this society.

BD
Advertisment
Chat with Dr. Medriva !