Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Freedom Fighter Rezaul Karim Chowdhury wants to start their medical services at night because garment workers and labourers are busy with work during the day. The mayor made the comments while talking to a delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday about the Urban Primary Health Care project.
CCC Mayor said, being a commercial area, a large number of workers and garment workers work in Chattogram who cannot go to the medical center due to their busy days. Due to financial crisis, they cannot take services in private hospitals. We want to introduce night health care to ensure the health care of these people who are backward in the society. Especially in industrial areas including EPZ of Chittagong, we will soon introduce night health care.
“If ADB comes forward for financial support, it will be possible to increase the number of healthcare centers and the scope of services under CCC. By increasing investment in the health sector, it is possible to make the next generation healthy by providing proper services to new born as well as protecting the lives of pregnant mothers. In order to avoid the inhumane situation where someone will die without getting healthcare due to financial crisis, it is necessary to increase investment in healthcare and hire more doctors, nurses and other related staff. Already, we have increased the scope of health care for labourers by allocating money from CCC's own fund at Bandartila Hospital, we have now ensured more quality services at Memon Hospital through renovation."
ADB health specialist Rui Liu said that in developing countries like Bangladesh, poor people living in urban areas do not receive adequate health care. In this regard, ADB works to ensure the health care of people of all classes and professions by providing financial and technical support. A large number of people have benefited Chattogram the Urban Primary Health Care Scheme in Chattogram City Corporation. Following discussions with the CCC Mayor, ADB will increase support to reduce maternal and child mortality besides introducing night health care in industrial areas.”
CCC Chief Health Officer Dr Salim Akhtar Chowdhury said that the health complexes run by CCC served eight and a half lakh people last year and so far 75 lakh people have been vaccinated against Corona. If ADB comes forward, CCC will be able to serve more people using existing infrastructure. In this regard, CCC is ready for all kinds of cooperation including recruitment of new manpower.
CCC Health Officer Dr. Md. Imam Hossain Rana, Public Relations and Protocol Officer Aziz Ahmed, ADB Associate Project Analyst (Education) Faiza Ahad, Tania Ferdous, Urban Primary Health Care Project Senior Program Officer Md. Tanvir Hossain, Urban Climate Resilience Coordinator Md. Zaidi Hasan Khan were present.
