Japan provides Tk 24 million grant for 3 Bangladeshi NGOs

Japan has extended a grant of approximately Tk 24 million to three Bangladeshi NGOs -- Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS), Prism Bangladesh Foundation (PRISM) and Trust for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (TRP).

TMSS was awarded the grant of approximately Tk 7 million while PRISM approximately Tk 7 million and TRP approximately Tk 10 million, said a statement of Japan embassy in Dhaka today.

TMSS has been awarded the grant of Tk 7 million to enhance coronary and trauma services at TMSS Medical College and Rafatullah Community Hospital in Bogura. At least 1,600 patients will be benefitted from C-Arm and ETT machines annually, while 360 people will be trained, said the statement.

PRISM has been awarded the grant of approximately BDT 7 million for a project involving the installation of equipment for medical waste management in Rajshahi district, according to the statement.

In Rajshahi city, there was no medical waste management plant for 205 healthcare establishments. Because of the current infrastructural development, the number of hospitals and clinics is increasing in urban area, thus proper medical waste management is essential to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.

Under this project, PRISM will install an autoclave, a boiler and two collection vehicles in their medical waste management plant. Rajshahi City Corporation signed a MoU with PRISM to support this project.

These products can contribute for improving hygiene and safety of Rajshahi City, and about 450,000 citizens will be benefitted from this project, the statement said.

TRP has been awarded the grant of approximately BDT 10 million for a project for the construction of a rehabilitation centre for poor people with disabilities in Moulvibazar district.

Their current rehabilitation centre in Moulvibazar was too small compared to the number of patients, and some patients had to go to TRP's Dhaka Centre for proper treatment. People with disabilities are forced to risk their health by travelling long distances to Dhaka, so it is necessary to expand the capacity of the Moulvibazar centre, Japanese embassy statement added.

After constructing the new Moulvibazar centre, TRP can provide treatment for 740 patients and vocational training for 40 people with disabilities per year.

Japan has supported 197 NGO projects through its Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGHSP) since 1989 with the view to enhance economic and social human security in the grass-roots levels. The total sum of these GGHSP grants extended to NGOs in Bangladesh to date amounts to approximately $15 million.