Community clinics in Meherpur are ensuring proper healthcare to the patients of the region. Poor patients in rural areas are now getting better services from the clinics.
Although the condition of the community clinics had many challenges earlier, now the Community Health Care Providers (CHCP) provide medical care, necessary medications as well as health advice to the patients. As a result, patients are regaining trust in community clinics.
There are 71 community clinics in Meherpur district to maintain the health of the common people of the district and ensure good treatment for them. Among them, 26 community clinics of 7 unions are in Meherpur Sadar Upazilla. These community clinics have now gained trust as one of the reliable places for treatment of rural poor and helpless people.
Construction of two more clinics in Uttar Shalika and Dakkhin Shalika is in progress. The community clinics of Meherpur, like the rest of the country, are playing an effective role in bringing the health services to the doorsteps of people. It is one of the great initiatives of the current government. Earlier, the services of the clinics were not up to the mark due to many challenges.
Currently, all community clinics in the district are being upgraded with the support of the Minister of Public Administration. There are many facilities in the clinics now including, clean environment, clean water, sanitation system and medical services and necessary medicines to the patients. Patients are being treated for several common ailments including fever, cold-cough, headache, dysentery and diarrhea. Child and maternal services are also being provided to the people. Those clinics in poor conditions have now become places of trust to the locals for treatment.
Moin Udidan, Community Health Care Providers (CHCP) of Kaligangni Community Clinic, said we treat many common ailments including fever, cold, cough, headache, dysentery, diarrhea in all these clinics. Child and maternal services are also being provided. Currently, 27 types of medicines are being given to the patients at free of cost from the community clinics. Family planning, other health advices to mothers and children are also being given here.
Patients say we now come to the community clinics if we have physical problems. We get general health care including basic medicines from the clinics. Earlier, in case of illness, it would take the whole day to go to the hospital in the district town. The travel expenses were also high. Now, both time and money are being saved. However, the treatment will be better if the clinics have MBBS or Assistant Medical Officer doctors with CHCP. And the pressure of patients at the hospitals will also be reduced.
Md. Shahzaman Chowdhury, chairman of Buripota Union, said that a committee has been formed under the leadership of a ward member of the union concerned for proper management of the clinics. They are looking after those clinics.
Meherpur Sadar Upazilla Health and Family Planning Officer, Dr. Alok Kumar Das said, “All community clinics in the district are being upgraded in phases with the support of the Minister of Public Administration. Clinics have become patient-friendly and people are getting better services from there. Medicines are being given to the patients for free.”
He also said that a fund has also been constituted for the maintenance of these clinics. Now five clinics are providing normal delivery service free of cost here. Now, clean environment has been ensured, clean water, sanitation system are also being ensured in all the clinics of Sadar Upazila. Various suggestions are being given to the health of the patients.
He further said that insulin for diabetes will be given free of cost in the clinics within few days. About 15,000 general patients are receiving medical services in these community clinics every month.
Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain said we are connecting the community clinics online with the Ministry of Information System with a view to increasing both accountability and transparency of service. If the service quality of these clinics increases, the pressure of general patients at the hospitals will decrease. In these clinics, the current government is providing 27 types of medicines for free to the common patients. The common people will be able to receive their health care easily through these activities, he added.