Community clinics get UN recognition

Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh’s community clinics get the United Nations (UN) recognition as it plays important role on primary health care sector.
The UN on Tuesday unanimously adopted the first-ever resolution on community-based healthcare system.

The resolution, titled “Community-based primary healthcare: a participatory and inclusive approach to universal health coverage.”

The Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York, Muhammad Abdul Muhith, introduced the resolution in the General Assembly.
The UN acknowledged that the important role the community clinics play in promoting primary healthcare, women’s empowerment,

community engagement and mobilization towards achieving universal access to health services.
In recognition of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s stellar contribution to establishing model community clinics in Bangladesh, the resolution highlighted “the Sheikh Hasina initiative” as an exemplary innovative model of public-private partnership.

The community clinic system reflects Bangladesh’s commitment to improve the health and well-being of its citizens. The resolution, the first of its kind in the United Nations or the World Health Organization, was co-sponsored by 70 countries.

Ambassador Muhith highlighted the impact of the resolution on achieving universal health coverage through inclusive community-based primary health care system.
Referring to Tuesday’s adoption of the resolution Muhith said that implementation of the resolution can make a world of difference to the lives of billions and their families and communities around the world.

“It has a far-reaching impact on promoting international cooperation for universal health coverage as it invites international financial institutions, multilateral and regional development banks and donors to provide appropriate resources, to strengthen community-based health services towards the full implementation of the SDGs,” he said.

To bring all people of Bangladesh under primary healthcare coverage, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina introduced this unique community clinic model in Bangladesh in 1998 which has revolutionized the health care delivery to reach the doorsteps of people all over the country.
The government has so far established more than 14,000 community clinics across the country, with each clinic serving a 6,000 population.