Grameen Kalyan to set up 300 health centres nationwide

Grameen Kalyan has drawn up a plan to establish 300 advanced primary healthcare centres and model secondary care hospitals across all 64 districts of Bangladesh, with the goal of serving around 1.5 million people annually through 15.6 million home-based health screenings, according to the Yunus Centre.
Recently, the organisation launched a healthcare programme offering 20,000 free cervical and clinical breast cancer screenings for underprivileged women across the country.

The pilot initiative, which began on 19 April 2026, focuses on married women aged 30 to 60 who have been married for more than a decade, aiming to deliver essential preventive healthcare directly to underserved communities, said the Yunus Centre on Thursday.

Founder of Grameen Kalyan and Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus welcomed the initiative, stating that mothers are central to families, yet many households suffer emotional and financial hardship due to undetected but preventable diseases. He added that the programme ensures marginalised communities receive high-quality cancer care at their doorstep.

The screening project is being implemented in collaboration with international and national partners, including the Oncology Club (Bangladesh), the Elekta Foundation (Sweden), and Global Health Catalyst (UK).

A team of specialist doctors is involved in the screenings, including Dr Shahana Pervin, Dr Rumana Afroz, Dr Farhana Haque, Dr Sumita Sarker, and Dr Sadia Jabin Khan.

The initiative also introduces advanced HPV testing, making Grameen Kalyan a pioneer in private-sector early cancer detection services.

At present, screenings are being conducted at selected centres in the Savar area, including Suapur Health Centre and Grameen Kalyan Rajnagar Health Centre in Singair, Manikganj.

To support the programme, a modern molecular laboratory has been set up in Savar, offering subsidised PCR testing for diseases such as Influenza A & B, COVID-19, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Tuberculosis, and Thalassemia.
Managing Director A K M Moinuddin Chowdhury said the initiative aims to bring life-saving cancer care to marginalised communities and transform healthcare services across primary, secondary and tertiary levels, ensuring affordable and quality treatment reaches underserved populations.
Established in 1996 as a social business inspired by Professor Yunus’s vision, Grameen Kalyan currently runs 153 community health centres across 38 districts in rural Bangladesh.
The organisation serves about 750,000 people annually, providing extensive healthcare services including millions of home visits, hundreds of thousands of diagnostic tests, ultrasound scans and doctor consultations.