Meherun Nesa had been ill for some time, with a persistent cough and a fever that would not go down. Now, after taking treatment and medicines from the Shaharbati Community Clinic following the suggestion of a neighbour, she is feeling much better.
In Meherpur's remote Gangni upazila, the community clinic has been changing people’s lives.
"Having a clinic in village, we have a lot of benefits," she said.
Ambia Khatun had a similar story.
“My daughter was suffering from diarrhoea with stomach pain. Doctor gave her saline and medicine at the clinic. She has been getting better rapidly," Ambia said.
"I could not imagine that I would get such a treatment free-of-cost."
Like Meherun Nesa and Ambia, hundreds of thousands of people of Meherpur Sadar and Gangni upazila's remote areas have been getting health care at the community clinics. The clinics have become the centre of healthcare in the area.
The clinics have been repaired and modernized under the Wash in Health project of international development organization WaterAid Bangladesh. Now, the clinics are . The clinicshave safe water, hygienic toilets and entry ramps and are generally clean. The project has modernized 21 community health clinics in Gangni and 24 in Meherpur. Impact Foundation of Bangladesh (IFB) has been implementing the project in Sadar upazila from April 2016. The project was launched at Gangni in September 2017 by the SKS Foundation.
Sangita Parvin, community health service provider at Noapara Community Clinic in Gangni, said: “Now the people of this area rush to the clinic even if they get a cold, though once they depended on a kobiraj [a folk medicine practitioner]. They enjoy free treatment and medicine here.”
A total of 100-150 patients come to the Noapara clinic daily, she said.
Managed by the community
Shafiqul Islam, acting administration officer of IFB Meherpur branch, said the model community clinics are playing a big role in ensuring health care for low-income people in remote areas.
“Not only structural modernization, we are also taking initiative for their maintenance and management,” he said.
“The model clinics are being governed by a committee comprising of local representatives. The quality of service at the clinics have increased due to the active participation of local people,” Shafiqul said.
After visiting Gangni's Kathuli, Shaharbati, Raipur, Bamundi and Motmura areas, it was seen that the community clinics are being governed by the same method. A 17-member Community Group and a 51-member Community Support Group manageeach clinic.
Local Union Parishad Member Md Nizamuddin, chairperson of Noapara Community Clinic, said the state of the clinics have changed after the project came into effect.
“The government pays the salaries of the health workers and provides 27 types of medicine.
“The committee, comprisedof local representatives, is paying the cleaners, electricity bills and accessory expenses. Wealthy individuals from the community are contributing,” he said.
In addition, WaterAid Bangladesh arranges regular trainings for the health workers, health inspectors and family welfare assistants.
Aftab Opel, head of programs of WaterAid Bangladesh, said: “The most important aspect of this project is to involve local representatives. The clinics have become reliable health care centres due to their governance and management. Now, it is necessary to sustain the ' structure and standards.”
Dr Mahbubur Rahman, upazila health and family planning officer of Gangni, also thinks that the community involvement is key to this tremendous change.
“People are happy with getting free health care near their homes. They do not have to run to remote hospitals,” he said.
Dr Nurullah Awal, health advisor of WaterAid Bangladeshand program manager of the project, said that after Meherpur and Gangni, this project will be expanded for the development of wash facilities of the community clinics in Mujibnagar.
