Project Period: 1978 – Present
Location: 7 Wards of Chattogram City Corporation, Chattogram District, and Satihat, Goneshpur Union, Manda Upazila, Naogaon District
Target Beneficiaries: Women, children, adolescents, garment workers, and marginalized community people [10,71,590 people served to date]
Donor: Ghashful self-fund
Background:
Since its inception in 1978, Ghashful has prioritized improving the health and well-being of the most marginalized communities in Bangladesh through its Community Health Program. The program began with a focus on family planning, providing underserved populations with access to reproductive health services and promoting awareness on population management. Over time, Ghashful Community Health Program has expanded into a comprehensive health initiative, encompassing general health, maternal and child healthcare, immunization, nutrition, workplace health for garment workers, and de-worming programs. This evolution reflects Ghashful’s commitment to responding to the changing health needs of vulnerable communities, while ensuring access to quality healthcare for those who need it most.
Objective:
Ghashful Community Health Program aims to provide holistic health services to marginalized populations, focusing on reproductive health, maternal and child care, preventive health, and awareness-building, while empowering communities to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Key Activities:
Ghashful has been providing its health services through integrated approach in the communities belonging to its working areas through the following mechanisms:
Clinical Services
GHASHFUL provides clinical services through two methods:
- Fixed Clinic: At the fixed clinics, community members receive regular healthcare services from registered physicians, skilled nurses, health assistants, and experienced Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA). These well-equipped centers offer a wide range of medical services, including the provision of free medicines for the ultra-poor. Additionally, Ghashful conducts awareness and knowledge-sharing sessions.
- Satellite Clinic: Satellite clinics, unlike fixed ones, are established temporarily to offer healthcare services in remote areas, particularly among marginalized groups who face challenges accessing established medical facilities. Ghashful appoints TBAs to assist ultra-poor and marginalized communities with safe childbirth and to raise awareness about the risks associated with unattended home deliveries. Ghashful has successfully operated Satellite clinics door-to-door in slum areas of Chattogram city and rural regions.
Family Planning Services
Since 1972, Ghashful has been providing family planning services to the marginalized and untouched communities as the focal area of its development interventions. Ghashful is considered as a pioneer organization in this sector. It is providing basic and comprehensive family planning services with the assistance of the District Family Planning Department. Ghashful has been actively engaged in disseminating proper knowledge and awareness among community people aged between 15 to 40 years for using local contraceptives and other measures to maintain a small family.
De-worming Activity
GHASHFUL distributes de-worming tablets, medicines and nutrition supplements among the marginalized families at the target areas. Deworm Tablet helps the body’s immune system function better, treat infections and enhance the nutrition level in both children and adults.
Extended Program for Immunization (EPI)
Under the EPI program, Ghashful is proving supports for immunizing infants and pregnant women in the working area. Ghashful arranges vaccines of TT, DPT & Polio twice in a week in Ghashful Fixed clinics. Besides, Ghashful arranges regular-basis immunization program 5 times in a month. Under EPI, Ghashful effectively observes various national days for social awareness. Ghashful has been awarded by Chattogram City Corporation for its EPI activities multiple times.
Workplace Healthcare for Garments Employees
Ghashful has been implementing the workplace-based healthcare intervention, targeting the garments employees living in Chattogram City Corporation. The city has thousands of garment factories and two of the main EPZs in its boundary. Majority of the garment workers have underprivileged background for which they cannot afford quality healthcare facilities. Considering the vulnerability, Ghashful Community Health Program is providing the emergency healthcare services, essential medicines, and building awareness on SRHR and HIV, etc. to the garment workers at their workplaces.
Family Health service with Health Card
Ghashful has been providing basic healthcare services through Health Card to the extremely poor and vulnerable families. The community people of Ghashful’s working areas, including Ghashful Samity members, can get this service for one year. A card holder can get medical services along with maximum five of his/her family members. Card is renewable after the duration of validity with fixed charges for fixed time. Besides getting the general medical treatment, the card holder can also avail the facilities of taking diabetic test, pregnancy test at a low price. To grow awareness among the card holders about family planning, nutrition, sanitation etc. is an added initiative of the program.
Impact:
Over more than four decades, Ghashful Community Health Program has transformed the health outcomes of over 10,71,590 individuals in urban and rural areas. By providing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare, the program has reduced reproductive health risks, improved maternal and child health, enhanced immunization coverage, and strengthened community awareness on preventive health measures. Beyond services, Ghashful Community Health Program has empowered women, adolescents, and marginalized populations to take charge of their health, fostering healthier communities and sustainable social development. Ghashful’s continuous self-funded commitment to Ghashful Community Health Program stands as a testament to the organization’s dedication to improving lives and building resilient, healthy communities across Bangladesh.
