<i>US-Bangladesh armies team up to serve the ailing poor</i>

Members of US and Bangladesh army medical teams treating a child at Haimchar Upazila Heath Complex. Photo: Focus Bangla

Bangladesh Army has teamed up with the US Army to provide free medical treatment to the underprivileged section of people living in remote areas in and around Haimchar of Chandpur.
The free clinic that was launched on November 12 has drawn around one thousand people -- mostly children and elderly men and women -- from Haimchar, Laxmipur and Shariatpur at Haimchar Upazila Health Complex. The clinic run under a programme titled Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE) closes tomorrow.
"I came to the hospital as the authorities made announcements through microphones that doctors from abroad and our army medical team will treat patients," said Selina Khatun, 30, who came from a remote shoal of Haimchar to have her 5-year-old son treated for chronic cold.
It is too difficult and expensive to go to Dhaka for better treatment. "Since good [specialist] doctors are here, we hope that they will give us good medical treatment."
On November 11, US Chargé d'Affaires Geeta Pasi inaugurated the MEDRETE programme at Bangladesh Institute of Community Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital at Alekharchar, Comilla where the medical teams are also treating eye patients free of cost.
Besides, a joint medical team of the two nations is treating dental patients at Comilla Medical Hospital.
At Comilla Cantonment, Bangladesh Army is receiving training on how to give first aid to the injured civilians as well as the army personnel on the battlefield.
Dr Mustafizur Rahman, health and family planning officer of Haimchar Upazila Health Complex, told The Daily Star, "This is an opportunity for the locals to see specialist doctors and get treatment."
Col Thomas M Bailey, leader of the 18-member medical team of the US Army, said, "Here we are finding patients with diseases that we only read about in the textbooks.
We can learn how the doctors are treating those."
"It is an opportunity for us to learn different cultures as well," said Maj. Mckinnley Rainey, coordinator of the US team.
Lt Col Shahjahan, coordinator of the medical camp of Bangladesh Army, said that they were learning from the doctors of the US Army -- especially the methods they apply.