Voluntary organization Bidyanondo Foundadtion and the Bangladesh Coastguard are jointly going to launch a floating hospital ‘JibonKheya’ to provide poor people living along rivers with healthcare services.
In a press release, the foundation officials said on Wednesday that ‘JibonKheya’ was being prepared as the workers were refurbishing a tourist boat now anchored in the Rupsha river in Khulna.
After launching a 100-bed Covid hospital in just 14 days earlier in Chattogram’s Patenga jointly with the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), ‘JibonKheya’ would be another milestone for Bidyanondo Foundation, which always resorts to creative ideas in serving humanity. Salman Khan, a Bidyanondo volunteer, said on Wednesday that they hoped to prepare ‘JibonKheya’ in a week as workers and volunteers with the guidance of the coastguard were working hard to transform a 21-cabin tourist boat into the hospital. The boat is now anchored at jailkhanaghat in Khulna.
He said the coastguard was preparing the primary route plan to provide services to the poor people who live along rivers and the agency would ensure security for the boat. Apart from doctors and nurses at least eight support staff will be onboard to ensure medical services, he said.
Bidyanondo Foundation’s Chairman Kishor Kumar Das said in a statement they took the decision of launching the floating hospital to ensure healthcare services to the coastal people who have no other choices but to live with natural disasters such as floods and cyclones. “People are suffering for prolonged monsoon floods and recent cyclones. Such natural disasters leave a trail of destruction, killing people, taking away people’s livelihood and destroying their crops and everything. Many become climate refugees. Moreover, diseases overshadow their efforts to get back to normal life,” he said.
“We just want to ease their sufferings to some extent by launching this floating hospital. We always tried to establish some examples in serving the people who need help during tough time. The government is doing their part, others have also come forward, but we always wanted to come forward in a more meaningful and creative way. We are trying to fill in the gap. JibonKheya is just another such effort,” he said.
Kishor sought help from people to run the hospital.
