The daughter’s tale

In a remote village in Southern Bangladesh, I met a middle-aged woman named Salma. However, the term 'remote' must undergo some redefinition as the infrastructural paradigm shift, epitomized by the inauguration of Padma Bridge connecting 21 districts, virtually eradicated the 'remote' mindset, bridging the gap between possibilities and reality. A night-long journey by passenger ferries, locally known as Launches, from the country's southern region to Dhaka has now been squeezed into a mere three-hour drive. Salma's beaming face had a charm that rubbed off on others as she seemed to be rejoicing while coming out of a local Community Clinic. As I approached her and introduced myself as a Professor of liver diseases at the well-known Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka, her enthusiasm to talk to me knew no bounds.

The reason behind her ecstasy soon became conspicuous to me as she had been endowed with a free insulin supply for her diabetes for the whole month from the Community Clinic. Having dealt, as a physician and hepatology specialist, with thousands of fatty liver patients, I am fully aware of the fact that diabetes catalyzes the complications associated with fatty acid. Bangladesh ranks 10th in the world in terms of the diabetic population. Therefore, it is a herculean task to reach out to the 180 million population with a complimentary insulin supply, especially when the global economy is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Therefore, I couldn't resist visiting the Community Clinic, which brought so much joy to countless people, including Salma.

As a medical professional, although mainly in tertiary healthcare, I am conversant with the idea of a community clinic. The government undertook this remarkable and futuristic initiative to set up one primary healthcare facility through a public-private partnership for every six thousand citizens in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina embarked, during her first tenure from 1996-2001, on this mission and set up clinics, which were unfortunately halted by the Khaleda Zia-led government of the BNP-Jammat alliance from 2001-2006. The community clinics were soon transformed into safe havens for addicts to be cloud 9 and cattle to graze. However, the project was revitalized after Awami League was voted to power in 2008.

The government mission was leveraged by the public-private partnership initiative and the noble gesture of people, including the ones who donated land for the sake of a healthier nation. To my surprise, even the  United Nations General Assembly recently unanimously adopted the resolution termed, “Sheikh Hasina Initiative”, which is the first of its kind in the history of the United Nations to adopt a resolution in the name of an individual. Furthermore, the Community Clinic concept is not limited to providing people with free insulin. People receive healthcare advice, both physically and digitally owing to the digital transformation in Bangladesh, through the project that has spread across the length and breadth of Bangladesh. People are blessed with over 20 types of essential medicines, other than insulin, from these community clinics. Despite the free disbursement of insulin and other drugs, there is no free distribution of antibiotics because anti-microbial resistance has emerged as a global concern.

Apart from the healthcare landscape, other sectors have also undergone a massive transformation. Take the case of Asrayan (a housing project for homeless people), which is the largest resettlement project for people who would otherwise be living on the street without a shade overhead. A huge number of people who used to beg for alms in the city are now living a life of dignity, thanks to the Asrayan project.

The government's array of projects geared towards leading people to self-sufficiency and productivity changed the lives of innumerable people including Salma, who used to entreat for alms at the traffic signals of Dhaka city. The Arsrayan initiative and social safety net gave them comfort, reassurance, and freedom. So, neither the 20-inch LED colour television nor the small refrigerator in Salma’s house nor the 100 cc locally assembled motorbike parked outside her Asrayan home surprise me anymore, not to mention the strawberry that she offered me with tea at her residence. All this paradigm shift touching every sphere of Bangladesh - from Padma Bridge to Asrayan to free healthcare - is attributed to the vision spelled out by Bangabandhu's daughter, which story is now celebrated around the world as 'A Daughter's Tale'.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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