DHAKA - The 23rd founding anniversary of community clinic will be observed across the country tomorrow.
After assuming the office in 1996, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first community clinic at Patgati of Tungipara in Gopalganj district on April 26 in 2000.
In her message, the Premier said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time, the father of the nation, introduced the concept of community clinic to ensure primary healthcare at the grassroots level of the newly independent country.
"In just three and a half year, Bangabandhu built health infrastructure at the sub-divisional and thana level to ensure healthcare at the doorsteps of the common people," she added.
"The Awami League government, after coming to power in 1996, decided to set up a total of 18,000 community clinics for every 6,000 rural communities.
Within the year 2001, 10,723 infrastructures were established and about 8,000 community clinics were launched. But the BNP-Jamaat coalition government came to power in 2001 and stopped the community clinic operation due to political grudge," the message said.
In her message, Sheikh Hasina also said that the Awami League government took over the responsibility of running the country and started setting up community clinics again in 2009. In addition to the increased number of service users, the community clinic is being constructed on the basis of a new design with a bigger arena.
"A total of 14,100 27 community clinics administered the COVID-19 vaccine.
The clinic also offers primary health, family planning and nutrition services," the message added.
A salient feature of Community Clinic is that it is a successful joint venture of the government and the people. And for its continuity and sustainability, the government has passed the 'Community Clinic Health Assistance Trust Act'.
Some 30 types of medicine and healthcare items are being provided free of charge to marginalized people across the country including health, family planning and nutrition services.
In the current financial year, the annual allocation for medicine and healthcare supplies has been increased from Taka 241 crore to Taka 250 crore.
