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What We Do: Current Projects

C U

DONATE

October 2011

Do you have any Bangladeshi taka lying around from a trip to Bangladesh? Looking for a good use for them? Please consider donating them to the Moanoghar Mobile Medical Clinics Motorcycle Appeal. You may send the taka to our office in either the United States or Australia. Contact us at http://www.bodhi.net.au/html/contact.html.

September 2011

Mobile clinics need your help

She can't do her job without it

Nurse/educator Laboni Chakma needs transport to remote villages if she is to continue nursing women (who prefer her to a male doctor) and providing health education to families.

Kirti Nishan Chakma writes, 'A doctor from Moanoghar together with a nurse or the medical assistant travels twice a week in the 3 nodes (Sapchari, Bhoillya - the third node is in Moanoghar) and provides free medical prescription and when available, medicines. A key problem that we have been facing is transport. We need a motorcycle for the team to travel and also to carry the medical kit. We have been trying to buy one but so far have had no funds. BODHI has recently agreed to provide a matching grant, and will pay half of the price of the motorcycle (BDT 65,000 taka). We need to raise the remaining BDT 65,000 [about $900].

'Your support will be extremely helpful for us; indeed, the lack of the motorcycle is greatly hampering our activities. The alternatives are impractical (on foot) or very expensive (baby taxi). Actually, the latter is a poor alternative because, the personnel still need to travel on foot in the village trails.'

Click here to DONATE

August. Report in. Please click here to view the 6-month report for the mobile medical clinics.

July. Moanoghar has now received approval for funds clearance from the Bangladeshi government, so they can now accept BODHI's donation of BDT500,000 (about AD6300/USD6800).

This means that regular mobile medical clinics in remote areas can continue. Our other funding includes the salary of a new nurse/educator, partial funding of the medical officer’s salary and full funding for a community mobiliser. Please see 2011 Project Proposal for more.

Dr Jibak Chakma with patient

Mobile Medical Clinics
Moanoghar, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh

New photos

BODHI-funded nurse/educator Laboni Chakma with remote villagers

At the request of our Community Advisers Kabita Chakma and Kulottam Chakma, in 2008 BODHI proposed the provision of primary health care to indigenous ethnic minority inhabitants in the CHT through mobile medical clinics. UNICEF puts the region at the bottom of the table in respect to key indicators such as child and maternal mortality rate, vaccination of most preventable childhood diseases (polio, diphtheria, measles, tetanus, etc.) and Vitamin A deficiency, along with the presence of health facilities (hospitals, community clinics) and health practitioners in the hospitals.

In October, 2009, after many logistical challenges, Moanoghar began running its first ever health outreach program. The government of Bangladesh and the Moanoghar Orphanage & School also provided financial and other support.

Moanoghar's mobile medical team, comprised of a medical doctor (MBBS) and a medical assistant, visits three nodes two days a week each in areas disproportionately inhabited by the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh. At each node, a village health committee has been formed, including village head, schoolteacher, educated youth, salaried professionals and educated women.

Moanoghar considers the ‘mobile clinic’ initiative quite a success. They have re-assessed the team composition and suggest at least one health educator and one female nurse, particularly important for maternal and reproductive health issues. The lack of female health personnel in the medical team has been quite a problem, as most often the girls/women feel shy to discuss health issues freely with male health personnel.

Some clinic services

Free prescriptions
Free drugs (when available)
Training in:
Reproductive health (adolescent girls & women)
Awareness on basic hygiene & sanitation
Malaria prevention
Basic child & maternal health

About 300 people have participated. Fifteen-twenty patients were given free treatment/drugs during each visit. About 2,100 patients have been treated for common diseases such as cough and colds, respiratory infections, viral fever/flu and diarrhea and intestinal ailments.

For more information, please see
Project Proposal 2011 (PDF 42KB)
Original project proposal & budget (PDF 197KB)
Report, February 2010 (PDF 1MB)