Barishal and Khulna healthcare professionals get IPC and PPE from UK AID and Concern Worldwide
In the ceremony UK Aid representative Dr. Shafiqul Islam said, “The mission and vision of UK Aid is to identify gap in the health sector of Bangladesh and ensure assistance to Bangladesh in solving them
"Essential Healthcare for the Disadvantaged (EHD) in Bangladesh" programme provided a large consignment of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) materials and Personal Protection Equipment's (PPE) to Divisional Director (Family Planning) of Barishal and Khulna on Sunday.
The materials were handed over for use in the Public Health System, says a press release by the organization named Concern Worldwide.
The program, which is being implemented by Concern Worldwide and eight other partners, under the overall guidance of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh, is funded by UK Aid from the UK government. Partners of the EHD program include Ipas, RHSTEP, icddr,b, CBM, DRRA, Digital Health Solutions (DHS), Partners in Health and Development (PHD) and Khulna Mukti Seba Sangstha (KMSS). More than 1.5 million PPE and around 22 thousand IPC were handed over at the Upazila Health Complex (UHC) and Family Welfare Centre (FWC) of Patuakhali's Kalapara, Barguna Municipality, Bhola's Char Fasson, Khulna's Dacope, Satkhira Municipality, Bagerhat Morrelganj.
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Divisional Director of Family Planning Khulna Division (Joint Secretary) Md. Habibul Haque Khan and Divisional Director of Family Planning Barishal Division MD. Abdus Salam was present as the chief guest at the two separated virtual handover ceremony. Concern Worldwide Country Director Hasina Rahman was Chairperson of this two-handover ceremony. Apart from them, Deputy Director of Family Planning of Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Barguna and Bhola district, UK AID representative Dr. Shafiqul Islam, EHD Consortium Director Shumon Sengupta and important personnel of EHD Programme were present during the ceremony.
In this handover ceremony both chief Guest expressed their gratitude to UK Aid, Concern Worldwide, KMSS and PHD for providing IPC materials and PPE to tackle this epidemic. Divisional Director of Family Planning Khulna Division (Joint Secretary) Md. Habibul Haque Khan said, ʺthis initiative is a glittering example of public private partnership in Health Sector of Bangladesh, particularly in the context of the challenging global Corona pandemic". Divisional Director of Family Planning of Barishal Division added, "These critical supply of PPE and IPC commodities will help health service providers to deliver their noble responsibility, with confidence and courage, and will ensure that essential health care can be provided. Ultimately disadvantaged people of this area will be key beneficiary of this initiative". They expressed their best wishes for EHD programme and declared his promise for any sort of future cooperation.
As an implementing partner of EHD Programme, PHD & KMSS organized and facilitated the handover of commodities, coordination and support from UNO and Civil Surgeons' offices of the Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Barguna and Bhola districts. Under the EHD program, Concern Worldwide has supplied 21,242 IPC 16 commodities, 9000 Respirators FFP-2 mask, 1,12,000 Surgical Gloves, 6,800 Face Shield, 86,000 Surgical Mask, 15,000 Coverall, 186 Thermometer, 356 Handwashing Station to the health system in selected Districts and Upazillas of Khulna and Barishal Divisions, to address a part of the current gap.
In the ceremony UK Aid representative Dr. Shafiqul Islam said, "The mission and vision of UK Aid is to identify gap in the health sector of Bangladesh and ensure assistance to Bangladesh in solving them. We are proud to stand by the government to help the disadvantaged people of the coastal area during this difficult time of the epidemic."
Speaking on the event, Country Director of Concern Worldwide Hasina Rahman said: "We are very happy to be able to provide this critical support to the health system, and we hope this will not only help in the COVID-19 response, but will also ensure that services providers are adequately protected while providing other essential health care services".
UK Aid is generously supporting the Concern Worldwide led EHD Programme, which will bring a range of essential healthcare services to the 2.5 million people in priority areas of Barishal and Khulna divisions. The EHD Programme is implementing various initiatives in selected districts of Barisal and Khulna Division in coordination with the local Covid-19 Response Management Committee formed by the Government of Bangladesh to ensure support to the National Preparedness and Assistance Plan (NPRP) for Covid-19.
It is to mention that, Under the EHD Programme, Partners in Health and Development (PHD) is working in a total eight upazilas in three districts of Barisal Division and Khulna Mukti Seba Sangstha (KMSS) is working in total seven upazilas in three districts of Khulna Division.
