D
haka Community Hospital (DCH) is a trust owned private, non-profit making and self financed organization providing health care for low-income underprivileged community. DCH has started its journey in 1988 in a rented house in Rampura. It is now situated on 0.3 acres of land with a structure in Baro Mogh Bazar. It has successfully introduced health insurance scheme in its project area. The idea is to bring modern health care facilities to the less affluent section of the population at a cost which they can afford.
Philosophy
◘ Integrated ◘ Community based ◘ Sustainable
◘ Community affordable
Hospital
DCH has a 130 bedded hospital situated in Dhaka. It works as a referral center and provides mainly tertiary level health care.
Departments
■ Medicine ■ Eye ■ Pediatrics ■ Skin and VD
■ Orthopedics ■ General Surgery ■ Gynecology & Obstetrics ■ ENT ■ Dental ■ Urology ■ Neuro surgery ■ Environmental research ■ Arsenic Lab
■ Tuberculosis ■ EPI (Expanded Program for Immunization) ■ Physiotherapy ■ Cancer ■ Dental ■ Psychiatry
Diagnostic Center
DCH run a modern diagnostic center where various examinations take place at nominal fee. The rate is 30% to 40% cheaper than the same of other diagnostic centers at Dhaka. Besides, DCH runs the following health programs:
School Health Program
This Program is being implemented in school settings both in urban & rural areas. The children are the primary beneficiaries. Students are provided with 'Health Card' against a nominal monthly fee. The doctors of DCH visit the schools once a week and provide health care to the cardholder students. They also receive thorough medical check-up every year. 12 schools of Dhaka and Pabna are receiving these services at present.
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Industrial Health Insurance Program
Under this program health care services are provided to the worker/employee of any industrial unit especially garments as requested by the owner of the industry. Each worker/employee is provided with a 'Health Card' against a nominal monthly fee based on the number of worker/employee. The doctors of DCH provide health and Medicare services to the cardholders once a week in their working place. They also receive yearly thorough medical check-up and referral service to DCH. 24 industrial units are receiving these services at present.
Family Health Insurance Program
Under this program, any family can get 'Family Health Card' against yearly payment of a small amount of money. Any ailing member of the cardholder family can receive the services from the hospital. In rural areas family cardholders receives health care from doctor managed Rural Health Center of DCH. The local community finances these centers. In emergency cases, the doctors will attend the cardholder at his/her home.
The family 10% discount on the overall expenditure of the treatment.
Rural Health Insurance Program
DCH has 34 rural health centers in different parts of Bangladesh. Primary and secondary level of health care is provided at these centers. These centers are managed with full community participation in both decision making, implementing and financing its programs.
Training Program
DCH has well equipped training division with highly qualified trained personnel and training facilities like audiovisual facilities and computers etc.
Need Based Special Program
DCH arranges need based special programs like annual health camps at rural health program's areas, diarrhoea camps during epidemic and outbreaks, medical team and field hospital for flood & cyclone victims and similar happenings.
National and International links with DCH
DCH collaborates with different national and international ORGANISATION like Oxfam, Radda Burnen, Disaster Forum, CARE, CARITAS, Mother Teresa Home, Save the Children (UK). On international arena it has exchange program with British General Practitioners Association and collaboration on arsenic program with the School of Environmental Studies (SOES), Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India. To combat serious arsenic health problem, the DCH formed Arsenic Action Group (AAG) involving various local and foreign organization and government institution which include DFID, NIPSOM, WHO, World Bank, UNICEF, SOES, Harvard School of Public Health, CIDA, CSIRO, Aus-Aid, Asia Arsenic Network, CARITAS, Oxfam, Water Aid, DASHCO, Disaster Forum, NGO Forum for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation and Ministry of Social Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Environment & Forestry of Government of Bangladesh.
A resource Centre tilled the Bangladesh Australia Centre for Arsenic Mitigation (BACAM) is established as a result of financial assistance from Govt of Australia. The Centre will provide professional on going advice on safe water and food, human health and well being to arsenic affected communities.
Institute
The Institute of Community Health-Bangladesh started from Feb.2001. The institute now runs Short courses and Diploma courses. Beside this DCH plans to offer Postgraduate diploma courses. Masters courses will be started very soon on Health Delivery System.
DCH: A Crusader against Arsenic
Arsenic poisoning of Ground water made almost 85 million people of Bangladesh at risk of chronic arsenic poisoning. In the past 8 years DCH deeply involved in chronic arsenicosis patient management & mitigation of this arsenic crisis.
Dhaka Community Hospital played the pioneering role in bringing the arsenic issue into limelight. The DCH deserves the sole credit of detecting the serious health hazards caused by arsenic contamination in ground water of the country. In 1996 the doctors of DCH while operating an annual health camp at Pakshey in Pabna district and found some patients affected with diseases caused by arsenic. DCH initiated some sustainable arsenic program in arsenic affected areas: They are
◙ Testing tube-well
◙ Awareness campaign
◙ Patient identification
◙ Patient management and Rehabilitation
◙ Providing alternative water option like dugwell,
rainwater harvesting e.t.c.
◙ Action Research
DCH is doing collaborative research program on Study on Molecular Epidemiology on Arsenic Patient in Bangladesh with School of Public Health of Harvard University, USA since 1999.
Beside this DCH single handedly organized four successful International Conference & Workshop on Arsenic Problem. In fact DCH look the avalanche of Arsenic issue not only to national level but also to international discussion. National and International experts from home and abroad attended in those conference. The outcome of conference became the record to help others.
DHAKA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
190/1Baro MoghBazar , Wireless Railgate, Dhaka 1217
Tel: 9351190-1, 8314887 Fax: 880-2-9338706
Email: , web site: www.dchtrust.org