Free healthcare service for farmers at city hospital
For the first time in the country, a four-bed special unit was opened at Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital (JBFH) in the city yesterday with a view to providing healthcare service to the poor and marginalised farmers at free of cost. The unit titled 'Jibon Kheya' was opened under the joint initiative of JBFH and Hridoy-e Mati O Manush, a popular agriculture-based documentary programme of Channel i, as part of their joint healthcare programme for the farmers. Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim inaugurated the unit on the second floor of the hospital. Prior to inauguration, a meeting was held at the reception room of JBFH. Speaking at the meting, the adviser said JBFH and Hridoy-e Mati O Manush have taken a noble initiative on a noble day. He said about 1.5 crore farmers of the country through their labour and merit are producing food for 15 crore people but they often do not get deserved price. "If anyone is called a national hero it is our farmers who continue their struggle in an ailing state,' he said, adding, if the farmers get sick while working on the field it will affect food production and food security. CS Karim said a specialised unit for the farmers should be opened in all the hospitals of the country for providing basic healthcare service to them. Shykh Seraj, director of both the programme and Channel i, said, "I am waiting for that day when the four-bed unit will become a 400-bed hospital.' He said they have already completed their farmers' healthcare programme in five districts and during the visit they noticed that most of the farmers are unaware of the primary healthcare service. Seraj said integrated efforts by all a must to build such a specialised hospital for the farmers. He said Hridoy-e Mati O Manush stepped into fifth year yesterday and it has become a voice of the farmers. Dr Junaid Shafiq, chairman of JBFH, said they started their farmers' healthcare programme last year and during this time they realised that primary healthcare service is not enough for them. "Later, we thought to open a unit for the farmers where they would get all the healthcare services including admission, test, medicine and surgery at free of cost,' he added. "Farmers are the main driving forces of the country and we (doctors) are prepared to serve them always,' he said, hopping that the hospital will become a specialised hospital for the farmers. Faridur Reza Sagor, managing director of Channel I, and Dr Sarder A Naim, managing director of JBFH, also spoke on the occasion. Later, the adviser visited the unit and talked to three patients who are now receiving treatment there. Talking to The Daily Star, one of the patients Rafiqul Islam, a farmer from Shibpur of Narshingdi, said he has been receiving treatment at free of cost. Abdul Halim, husband of Shefali Begum who is also receiving treatment there, said, "I never thought that my wife could receive such treatment.'