Thrust on making policy to ensure CSR in healthcare

Adequate healthcare services are a basic necessity of citizens that ensures a steady improvement of material and cultural standards of living. But the country's health sector is now not providing enough services to them, experts said at a webinar on Monday.

Against this backdrop, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution will be effective in addressing healthcare issues, they added.

The health infrastructure needs more investment as there is a gap in health-related service quality and resources. Many people are making their way out of the health services due to the gap, said Ahsan Habib, consultant of the Health and Nutrition Voucher Scheme for Poor, Extreme Poor and Socially Excluded People project, while presenting the findings of a study conducted by Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI).

Christian Aid and Dhaka Ahsania Mission are implementing the project, funded by the European Union, in order to understand the scope of CSR in the health sector and to develop a guideline on the CSR.

To this end, the aid agencies in cooperation with The Business Standard organised the virtual discussion, "Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility culture among Private Health Care Service Providers".

"CSR has not been strategically designed for private health care service providers, though it is a significant part of the health sector.  Moreover, the absence of CSR policy, no budget allocation and a lack of complaint management system have also been identified as key hindrances to CSR ventures in private health care service providers," Ahsan said.

To address the issue, he recommended setting a vision and objectives for CSR by defining a specific programme area and principle of social responsibility.

Besides, he emphasised proper supervision and monitoring of CSR activities.

Appreciating the project, Satkhira Municipality Mayor Tazkin Ahmed Chisty and Savar Municipality Mayor Haji Md Abdul Goni demanded a continuation of such projects, for they help poor and ultra-poor people in getting proper treatment.

Khondokar Morshed Millat, general manager (Sustainable Finance) of the Bangladesh Bank , said that in order to ensure CSR adoption, the central bank has prepared a comprehensive guideline and a befitting structure to make banks eager in carrying out CSR activities.

He said the banks also need to be transparent and committed to maintaining CSR.

Md Quamruzzaman Russell, secretary of Clinic and Diagnostic Association (Satkhira), opined that alongside addressing gaps and challenges in the health sector, ensuring affordable healthcare for each citizen is crucial.

Hasibur Rahman, executive director at MRDI, said CSR implementation has been rising and has been finely structured, thanks to the Bangladesh Bank.

He demanded that the success story of CSR be made public to inspire others to follow.

Big private hospitals are not maintaining CSR properly, the speakers alleged.

Towfique Maruf, president of Health Reporters Forum, urged the authorities concerned to bring all private health service providers under a strong monitoring system to ensure their CSR contribution.

CSR should pursue the goal of meeting the target of universal health coverage. And for this, an effective policy needs to be formulated, he added.

Christian Aid Country Director PankajKuman summed up the deliberations through a vote of thanks, while Morshed Noman, chief reporter of The Business Standard, moderated the programme.