75 UNDP-run clinics now treat 5.5 lakh in CHT
At least 5.5 lakh patients, mostly indigenous are receiving treatment, medicine and health services a year at 75 clinics run by United Nations Development Project (UNDP) in 20 upazilas of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Not only treatment, the health workers also arrange different health related programmes to create awareness among vulnerable groups living in remote areas of Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban districts.
This correspondent recently visited three such UNDP-run community health centres under Matiranga upazila in Khagrachhari district.
It was found that about a hundreds patients in a queue waiting for their turn of treatment and receiving medicine at Wahid Member Para community health clinic in Matiranga upazila.
Ranu Begum, 60, who had been suffering from fever for the last couple of days said she is waiting for blood test. Now she is not worried about malaria anymore as UNDP provides medicine free of cost after treatment, she added.
District Coordinator of UNDP Priyator Chakma said, there are 16 mobile health teams working fulltime in CHT to serve hill people and make them aware about their health and diseases. The teams will try to reach every corner of CHT, he said.
Elaborating the UNDP activities in CHT, Deputy Director Prasenjit Chakma said, besides community health clinics they are also running 150 schools in CHT where 8,000 students have been studying. There are also 2600 centres under 20 upazilas in CHT to create awareness among CHT people including women about their rights and privileges, he added.
Project Director Patrick Sweeting said, the UNDP initiative aims at creating awareness among ethnic hill people, especially those who live in remotest areas, about their health rights and privileges.
Country Director of UNDP, Bangladesh, Stefan Priesner, who visited several community health clinics in June told the reporters that UNDP has been working in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to ensure development of the area and its people.
UNDP will do all to remove discrimination, superstition for uplift in CHT, he said.
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