Water ambulance, a relief in remote Rangabali

Patients in remote Rangabali upazila can now avail the services of a water ambulance in times of need. The upazila is locked by river on rivers on three sides and the sea on the other.

Owing to the lack of a hospital in the upazila, about two lakh people living here have to use the river to get to medical centres in other places. 'MB Payra Boat Ambulance' has begun the new ambulance services in the upazila from January 13.

The boat ambulance can reach patients from any of the five unions of the upazila within 24 hours and take them to the nearest headquarters hospital within 20–30 minutes. It is armed with medical facilities like oxygen and emergency medicine.

Full-time health workers will man the ambulance. The 'MB Payra Boat Ambulance' programme has been launched by a Tk. 29-lakh project under the management of Avijatrik Foundation, funded by IDLC Finance Limited. The ambulance can carry up to 10 people.  Avijatrik Foundation president Ahmed Imtiaz Jami said: "We have been working for three years in Rangabali upazila. I think the boat ambulance will help the people in this remote area."

IDLC CEO Arif Khan said: ‘We have started the boat ambulance project considering the healthcare situation here. We hope our small effort will help people."

Patuakhali district civil surgeon Dr Md. Jahangir Alam acknowledged the launching of the boat ambulance. However, an upazila health complex is being constructed in Rangabali, he added.

Water ambulance, a relief in remote Rangabali

Patients in remote Rangabali upazila can now avail the services of a water ambulance in times of need. The upazila is locked by river on rivers on three sides and the sea on the other. Owing to the lack of a hospital in the upazila, about two lakh people living here have to use the river to get to medical centres in other places. MB Payra Boat Ambulance has begun the new ambulance services in the upazila from January 13. The boat ambulance can reach patients from any of the five unions of the upazila within 24 hours and take them to the nearest headquarters hospital within 2030 minutes. It is armed with medical facilities like oxygen and emergency medicine. Full-time health workers will man the ambulance. The MB Payra Boat Ambulance programme has been launched by a Tk. 29-lakh project under the management of Avijatrik Foundation, funded by IDLC Finance Limited. The ambulance can carry up to 10 people. Avijatrik Foundation president Ahmed Imtiaz Jami said: We have been working for three years in Rangabali upazila. I think the boat ambulance will help the people in this remote area. IDLC CEO Arif Khan said: We have started the boat ambulance project considering the healthcare situation here. We hope our small effort will help people. Patuakhali district civil surgeon Dr Md. Jahangir Alam acknowledged the launching of the boat ambulance. However, an upazila health complex is being constructed in Rangabali, he added.