For better healthcare

Advancing community health is central to achieving the SDGs and universal primary healthcare. The foundations of community health within the context of primary healthcare are increasingly being recognised as crucial components of national policies and strategies to accelerate progress in health.In rural Bangladesh, community clinics (CCs) are the closest health facilities for the community people. CCs are the lowest-tier health facility at the primary level established throughout the country including in very hard-to-reach areas. Thousands of people are getting services from there and they have become an integral part of the health system.

All CCs have been provided with laptops and internet connection. But there are some challenges as well, and these stem from the lack of skilled healthcare professionals in rural Bangladesh. They are currently managed by community service providers who have received training only for a short period of time. Physicians who pass MBBS are supposed to serve the rural community for one year as interns; so they can easily be placed in CCs. They can serve these communities and improve the quality of treatment. The government should think about implementing this at the policy level.