Project Name : Essential Healthcare for the Disadvantaged in Bangladesh (EHD)

Doner : UK aid

Sector : Health

Area : Satkhira Paurosova

Time Line : July' 2019 to December'2022

Brief of activities :

Concern Worldwide, an international NGO is leading a consortium in partnership with other NGOs: CBM, icddr,b, Ipas, DRRA, KMSS, PHD, RHSTEP and Telenor Health to implement a large  scale health programme titled “Essential Healthcare for the Disadvantaged in Bangladesh”. This Programme is funded by UK Government reaching around 2.6 million people in urban and rural areas in the underserved, remote coastal areas in the south of Bangladesh.

The goal of the programme is to achieve sustainable improvements in health, family planning and nutrition outcomes among disadvantaged populations including people with disabilities through reductions in morbidity and mortality and improvement in universal health coverage.

Outcome 1: Disadvantaged groups including people with disabilities access quality Health care;

Output 1- Improve availability of healthcare services in hard-to-reach locations and urban centers

Output 2- Improved access and affordability of healthcare

Output 3- Increased quality and accountability for essential health services

Output 4- Increased demand through enhanced care seeking practices and improved health practices     and behaviors 

 Outcome 2: Sustainable model for healthcare demonstrated.

Output 5 – Sustainable health model tested and implemented through application of adaptive programming approaches and documentation of lessons

IMPLEMENTING STRATEGILS:

A hallmark of this programme is to improve availability of services through work with the existing government and private sector health facilities at all tiers; Community - Ward - Union - Upazila  - District Level and coordination with the various departments of health and family planning including data management systems.

Quality of services will be improved in ways such as in urban areas, facility hours will be expanded to include evening clinics, clinical skills of both formal and informal healthcare staff will be enhanced through training, mentorship and eLearning based system and a system of pharmacy accreditation will be introduced.

In partnership with Telenor Health the programme is using digital technology to provide inclusive healthcare intervention package for telemedicine with customization for disabled users and referral services, Health vouchers and micro insurance will be offered to increase financial access for the extreme poor.

Accountability will be sought through the activation and strengthening of management committees, engaging with communities to strengthen user feedback systems, A key focus is to strengthen referral pathway to increase access.

Looking at affordability of healthcare through micro-insurance and to activate community funds for disadvantaged groups. These funds are to cover out of pocked expenses associated with seeking care and provision of disability friendly services.

Community level social behavior change will be sought by empowering women and girls, using gender transformative approaches that engage men and boys in joint decision-making, life skills for adolescents and working with Disabled peoples Organizations and self-help groups o raise awareness on disability inclusion.

ADAPTIVE APPROACH:

The Programme’s adaptive management system will operate with two supporting approaches:

1. Developing a monitoring system and
2. A process of reflection, rapid learning and analysis - that leads to iterative changes in tactics of activities and strategic adaptation will take place annually to inform future year programming.

New learning will be generated through research on following proposed areas to be finalized during inception process:

1. Approach and process of developing a climate resilient health systems;
2. Process of integrating disability inclusivity into first level health care;
3. Viability of health insurance using mobile platform;
4. Effective intervention to address specific health indicators that are currently stagnant in Bangladesh learning on adaptive programming.