Grameenphone CEO Hands Over Clinic-on-Wheels

Grameenphone CEO Hands Over Clinic-on-Wheels
Grameenphone Ltd. handed over two clinic-on-wheels to NGOs Family Development Services and Research (FDSR) and Swanirvar Bangladesh today as part of the “Grameenphone Safe Motherhood and Infant Care” project.
Handing over the mobile clinics, Anders Jensen, CEO, Grameenphone said that “the clinic-on-wheels are expected to increase the accessibility of maternal and infant healthcare services to the hard-to-reach economically disadvantaged population.”
The clinic-on-wheels concept is unique and is perhaps this is being deployed for the first time in the country. The clinic-on-wheels will provide free ante-natal care, delivery and post-natal care to the mothers, and basic healthcare services to infants. The vehicles are equipped with professional staff, clinical aides and logistics to provide basic essential healthcare to the coastal belt communities of Bangladesh. Facilities for consultation, physical examination, a mini-pharmacy, and few basic laboratory investigation services will be available in the mobile clinics. It will also be equipped with provisions for minor surgeries. Each of the clinic-on-wheels will cover 4-5 clinic catchment areas and the route plan will be announced in advance to the target communities through public service announcements.
Yamin Bakht, Director PR Division and Shuvashish Priya Barua, Head of CSR, were present on behalf of Grameenphone. Mr. Belayet Hossian, Senior Health Advisor from USAID, Prof. Dr. Zahid Hasan, Member, Executive Committee and Treasurer of FDSR, Mr. Al-Husainy, Executive Chairman of Swanirvar Bangladesh, officials from Pathfinder International were also present at the ceremony.
Under the “Grameenphone Safe Motherhood and Infant Care” project, jointly with Pathfinder International and USAID’s nationwide 317 “Similing Sun” clinics, Grameenphone aims to provide free comprehensive primary healthcare services to the poorest of the poor mothers and infants of Bangladesh. GP is further investing in improving service quality and extending access to healthcare by recruiting additional community-based health-workers, upgradation of some of the existing static clinics into emergency obstetric care centers, and providing motorized vans and clinic-on-wheels.
From August 2007 to January 2008, around 558,143 economically disadvantaged mothers and infants have received free healthcare services under this project. The project aims to reach around 800,000 poorest of the poor mothers and infants annually.
Previously, Grameenphone provided financial assistance to FDSR and Swanirvar to set up Emergency Obstetric Care Centers and Ultasonogram Machines at its Patiya and Bhola Clinic respectively. The recruitment of physicians and consultant physicians in these clinics were also sponsored by Grameenphone. Grameenphone handed over five ambulances to the local NGOs as well, to facilitate establishing better patient referral between home-delivery and emergency obstetric care clinics as well as support transportation for the dedicated skilled birth attendants (SBAs) to ensure smoother home-delivery services.