Unique Community Clinic-Based Health System In Bangladesh

Wars and conflicts are increasing worldwide. People from
any part of the world are not good. But we are better than
other countries – it must be admitted. In terms of
infrastructure, Bangabandhu’s golden Bangladesh has
progressed quite a bit overall. Especially, the country has
been at ease for the past decade and a half under the hands
of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Living in a
competitive world, we have achieved a lot in various
fields.

In today’s highly competitive world of
‘complex equations’ spreading ‘light’ in various fields is
undoubtedly a matter of great pride and ecstasy. The recent
scene of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gifting the World Bank
with a painting (picture) of the Bengali dream of ‘Padma
bridge’ proves that the ‘Bangla Township Light’ has spread
to every corner of the world. “Golden harvest” has come to
our house in various cases! The world saw a ‘new surprise’
as soon as the news of this incident came to an end!
Recently, for the first time in the United Nations, a
resolution on community-based health care was unanimously
adopted. The historic resolution titled ‘Community-Based
Primary Health Care: A Participatory and Inclusive Approach
to Achieving Universal Health Services’ brought
international recognition to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s
outstanding innovative leadership in establishing a
community clinic-based model of primary health care in
Bangladesh through public-private partnership. This
achievement is very ‘unique’ for Bangladesh. In the said
resolution, the UN member states referred to Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina’s successful innovative initiative in
establishing community clinics as ‘The Sheikh Hasina
Initiative’. Needless to say, this recognition successfully
reflects Bangladesh’s strong commitment in improving public
health care and establishing equity in global health
care.

Notably, the adoption of this resolution is an
unforgettable milestone in the global effort to achieve
universal health care by 2030. Successful implementation of
the resolution will play an important role in improving the
health care of billions of people around the world by
introducing community clinic-based health systems. This
recognition of universal health services and the United
Nations Development Goals will also have far-reaching
implications for international cooperation.

It should
be remembered that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched
this ‘unique community clinic-based health system’ in
Bangladesh in 1998 with the aim of bringing all the people
of Bangladesh under primary health care. This project has
brought a ‘revolution’ by bringing the benefits of
government primary healthcare to the doorsteps of people at
the grass root level across the country. The Prime
Minister’s response to this initiative from the very
beginning was widely appreciated by all sections of the
people. World recognition was waiting. In the end, the
United Nations itself received praise. How proud this
achievement is for the country – only a patriotic Bengali
can understand. It has to be said, this recognition in the
indomitable development progress of Bangladesh under the
leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will brighten our
image in the international arena in the coming
days.

It should be noted that currently community
clinics have made a silent revolution in the health care of
the country, especially in the treatment of marginalized
groups. It has changed the overall picture of rural
healthcare. There has been a positive improvement in the
health care of the country in the past. A recent evaluation
report by the World Bank also says the same. Child mortality
in Bangladesh has decreased by 29 percent. The birth rate
has come down to 2.3. Breastfeeding rate has increased to 55
percent. The number of children receiving care from skilled
health workers in the womb is now 64 percent; The rate of
low-birth-weight babies has dropped to 33 percent. The rate
of taking care of trained health workers during delivery is
42 percent, the prevalence of contraceptive use is 62
percent and the prevalence of measles vaccination is 86
percent. Uptake of all basic vaccines by 23 months is now 84
percent. As the average life expectancy of people in the
country has increased with these advances, there has been a
massive improvement in the quality of life at the same
time.

After independence, there were several obstacles
in the health sector of the country. The healthcare sector
in today’s Bangladesh has come a long way. Bangladesh has
surpassed India, Pakistan, Nepal and many other countries in
health care. In this regard, community clinics are playing a
major role in improving overall health care in the
country—this claim has to be
acknowledged.

‘Community Clinic’ is undoubtedly a big
achievement for Bangladesh. We believe that this service
will spread to every corner of the world under the
supervision of the United Nations. And indeed, that would be
a greater achievement for us. We believe that this
‘innovative model’ of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will
spread light globally and take the global health system
further.

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