Jhikra Union Health and Family Welfare Center (UH&FWC) has started reaching primary healthcare to the grassroots people and the marginalized and less-income group people.

The facility in Bagmara Upazila of the district has become a blessing for the rural pregnant mothers in terms of getting emergency healthcare services, including antenatal care (ANC), postnatal care (PNC) and neonatal care.

Rafiqul Islam, Chairman of Jhikra Union Parishad (UP), said they have reactivated the facility through appointing a Family Welfare Visitor (FWV) and need-based renovation with collaborative and partnership efforts recently.

“We have completed the renovation works at a cost of Taka 2,61,425 last month,” he said, adding that Public Health Improvement Initiative Rajshahi (PHIIR) project contributed to the renovation works costing Taka 2,35,242, while Taka 26,183 came from the UP.

Islam said the facility had remained inoperative for around 18 years since 2003 due to multifarious problems related to lack of manpower, electricity and water supply, life-saving drugs and other requisite support.

On priority basis, a skilled FWV was appointed on 11 April last with a joint financial contribution of the PHIIR project and UP.

UP Chairman Islam said the labor room was equipped with all requisite devices and apparatus on behalf of the project for conducting normal delivery after the deployment of FWV Rezia Parvin.

The facility have attained trust of grassroots people as they are getting requisite primary healthcare services regularly at their doorsteps in the area, added the public representative.

“We have maternal and neonatal health care services, integrated management of childhood illness, reproductive health, family planning services and an expanded program on immunization in the facility,” said FWV Rezia Parvin.

Keya Begum, 24, wife of Bazlur Rashid of Joandog, is very happy over getting her necessary postnatal care from the facility after her normal delivery in December last.

As her husband remains busy with his almost daylong professional works she goes to the clinic with her own initiative. She terms the facility as vital means for regular medical checkup. After getting her doorstep services she’s mentally satisfied.

DASCOH Foundation has been implementing the PHIIR project supported by Swiss Red Cross (SRC) at five upazila health complexes, 42 Union Health and Family Welfare Centres and 110 Community Clinics under Bagmara, Charghat and Tanore upazilas in Rajshahi and Porsha and Sapahar in Naogaon.

The project is intended to improve the health status with special focus on maternal, neonatal and child health at primary health care level.

PHIIR Project Manager Tozammel Haque told  that the present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to run the rural health facility effectively. “So, we are working here to supplement the government endeavour,” he added.

A 26-member joint monitoring team led by Dr Kasturi Amina Queen, Deputy Director of the Department of Family Planning, visited the Jhikra UH&FWC on February 28 last discussing and devising ways and means on how to make the facility more effective.

Dr Amina Queen said there is no alternative to elevate the essential health services of the facility through proper functioning of its management committee.

She said there is no alternative to enhance knowledge level about health and disease control among the community people as a whole and the role of the rural facility is very important in this regard.

She also said the present government is very much sincere about reaching the healthcare services towards the peoples’ doorsteps and the government has been working relentlessly to attain the cherished goal.