Community clinic staff is providing health care to patients in remote areas in the wake of the corona virus outbreak. Most of the patients are seeking health care at the local community clinics without going to the upazila and district hospitals due to the risk of corona infection.
There are a total of 205 community clinics in 9 upazilas of Bagerhat district. There are 32 community clinics in Bagerhat Sadar, 12 in Kachua, 51 in Morelganj, 19 in Sharankhola, 13 in Mongla, 24 in Rampal, 18 in Fakirhat, 19 in Chitalmari and 19 in Mollahat.
Most of these clinics are located in remote areas. The health department has provided PPE masks, sanitizers and hand gloves to each clinic. Necessary medicines have been provided to the patients. The community health care provider of the clinic is providing regular services 6 days a week from 8 am to 12 noon as per the instructions of the Department of Health.
In addition, a health assistant and a family welfare assistant employed for field work are providing services in the clinics three days a week. However, marginalized groups are being deprived of services due to the fragile infrastructure of some clinics, arbitrariness and incompetence of health care providers.
Mizanur Rahman, a community health care provider at Mukshaite Community Clinic in Bagerhat Sadar Upazila, said, "We are providing regular services to the grassroots people at the risk of their lives despite the risk of corona infection." Often there are patients who have a lot in common with the symptoms of coronary heart disease.
As a result, it is difficult for us to diagnose coronary heart disease. Knowing the information of their physical problems from the patients who come to the clinic, we use CMED agent apps to determine if there is a possibility of corona infection.
I give them awareness advice. We are continuing to operate the service while maintaining as safe a distance as possible through the use of safety equipment. The number of patients has also increased.
Tushar Munshi, a community health care provider at Chaumohana Community Clinic in Sharankhola Upazila, said, "We have been providing services to patients as per government guidelines since the corona situation had started."
Patients come to us with common seasonal fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, stomach ache, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. We try our best to serve them. At present the number of patients in our clinic is increasing even in Corona situation.