A free healthcare camp was organised by Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK), CWF (Children Watch Foundation) and media partner Khabar Kagoj on Wednesday (May 14) at Adarsh Bhagalpur Kindergarten School in Hazaribagh area of Dhaka North City Corporation to protect the health of low-income people in the megacity. More than 150 people were provided with free healthcare and medicines as well as nutritional counselling from this healthcare event. Medicine specialist Dr Omar Khayyam and child and hypertension specialist Dr Abu Shahadat Md Nazem and paramedics were present at the camp to ensure healthcare for the patients and provide necessary advice.
Due to the various impacts of climate change, these low-income slum dwellers have been forced to leave their villages and come to the city after losing everything. Even after coming to the city, they are forced to lead an inhumane life. Amidst the various crises in the city, the heat wave is having a huge impact on the lives and livelihoods of slum dwellers. At the same time, due to this heat wave, they are suffering from various diseases. They are constantly forced to live a miserable life. As a result, they are reaching the brink of poverty from being poor while seeking treatment. This free healthcare is being organised to provide them with health support. Which will help them to cope with the crisis caused by climate change to some extent.
Md. Jahangir Alam, urban researcher and coordinator of BARCIK, was present at the free healthcare camp. He said, ‘The purpose of this event is to ensure some improved medical services to the low-income people of the city and to stand by them. As citizens, this is also our responsibility. Because according to the population, our country’s medical system is very inadequate. Most of those who have received medical services today are women and children. I am personally very happy to stand by them.’
CWF Chairman and environmentalist Shah Israt Ajmery said, “This free medical service has been organised to protect the physical and mental health of children. On the one hand, the state’s medical system is limited, and on the other hand, environmental pollution has made the lives of children here risky. This organisation will benefit them to some extent. Our programme will continue with the aim of overall development of children.”
Aparna Goswami, a woman who received medical services, said, “This service has benefitted us a lot. It is important to keep this program going, both publicly and privately.”
Also present at the free healthcare camp were BARSIC Assistant Program Officers Hena Akhter Rupa, Runa Akhter, Esha Akhter Labanya, and CWF Technical and Research Officer Sadman Ahmed.
