The community clinics entrusted with imparting healthcare to millions at far off regions and rural areas in the country are themselves ailing from poor sanitation and lack of pure drinking water. As a result, those visiting the community-based health clinics (CBHCs) for treatment were being affected with waterborne diseases, according to experts in the health sector. The experts added that the government should immediately ensure pure drinking water facilities and hygienic environment in all the CBHCs in the country as part of the sustainable development goals (SDG).
At present there are 13,136 CBHCs in Bangladesh, and 200 more will be developed, according to the Directorate General of Health Services. Admitting to the problems plaguing the grassroots clinics, CBHC chief coordinator Makhduma Nargis told The Independent that steps were being taken to achieve SDG-6. “Proper water facilities for drinking and washing as well as hygiene would be strengthened. Besides, special care would be given to mothers and children; otherwise, sustainable development goals won’t be achieved,” said Nargis, who is also the secretary in the health and family welfare ministry. “Social workers and NGOs should work together with the government to achieve SDG-6,” she added.
At the same time, it seems that poor sanitation in healthcare facilities is not restricted to Bangladesh alone, but is a problem in all low- and middle-income countries.
“Environmental sanitation in healthcare facilities is a neglected area that needs greater attention. Health facilities in low- and middle-income countries lack basic requirements for good hygiene, including safe reliable water supply and adequate sanitation. Patients, visitors and healthcare facility staff require a level of hygiene that would makes services attractive and safe,” Marie-Jeanne Hautbois, the country representative of Terre des hommes Foundation-Switzerland, told The Independent.
Echoing this opinion, director of primary healthcare Jahangir Alam Sarker added that there was need to develop systems to support service delivery and monitoring, including Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) components.
According to Rahmatullah Faruque, national coordinator of WASH and DRR, practitioners in the field were supporting and strengthening strategic programmes to achieve the SDG targets for universal access to basic drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for households, schools and healthcare facilities.
For instance, about 6,24,000 beneficiaries were being benefited through 104 community clinics at grassroots levels and 24 family welfare centres at the union level by the health ministry in partnership with Terre des hommes Foundation in Kurigram district.
“Guidance is needed to bring health authorities, the WASH sector, community leadership and civil society together, and to adapt approaches in accordance with the country’s context,” he added. Faruque said there was need to scale up the existing good practices regarding WASH, including medical waste management, waste water management, personal hygiene behaviour, hand washing, menstrual hygiene management, water safety and quality issues in community clinics.
Moreover, members of the healthcare staff in the community clinics also have to be properly trained on these issues, he added.