Name of the project: “Midwifery-led health services for the islands people in Bangladesh”

Programme Area: Primary Health Care with special emphasis on Maternal, New-born and Child Health

Duration: April 2022 to December 2024  

Funded by: Swedish Postcode Foundation

Supported by: Concern Worldwide

Implementation area of PHD: Char Kukri Mukri & Dhal Char union of Charfasson and South Sakichia & Hazirhat of Manpura upazila(s) of Bhola District

Target audience: 68,273 people living on these two remote islands

Purpose: To develop a community led model that improves the health status of the hard-to-reach and marginalized island communities by increasing accessibility, coverage, comprehensiveness and sustainability of the Union Health and Family Welfare Centre (UH&FWC).

Project brief:

The two islands (Monpura and Char Kukri Mukri), in Bhola District, Barisal Division have high rates of poverty, a high fertility rate and inhabitants lack access to inclusive, quality and affordable healthcare services. In particular, women have very limited access to maternal care and health facilities that may offer safe child delivery options. Although poor families spend high portions of their income on health, spending household income for women’s health is negligible due to traditional gender norms.

Under these two Upazila, the project will intensively work in South Shakuchia Union of Monpura Upazila and Char Kukri Mukri (CKM) island of Charfason Upazila. There is no functioning Union Health and Family Welfare Centre (UH&FWC) on either of the island. Thus, project will deploy Midwives and Medical assistants in these two UH&FWCs to provide ESP services following GoB guideline. Besides these two unions, the project will also provide limited-scale support at Dhalchar Union of Charfason Upazila and Hazihat Union of Monpura Upazila, as there is no active service provision there either, except a few community clinics.

The project will work with five specific output, likely;

Output 1: Increased availability of health services through skilled health service providers.

Output 2: Improved access and utilization of healthcare services.

Output 3: Increased quality of & accountability for essential health services.

Output 4: Increased demand through enhanced health behaviours.

Output 5: Sustainable health model tested and adopted