The free healthcare we provide for children and their families not only improves the overall health of the community, but also provides a huge incentive for parents to keep their children in full time education.
More than 60% of Bangladeshis – about 85m – people have no access to modern health services. Healthcare is not provided by the state and as a result it is expensive and inaccessible for the poor. The Dhaka slums, home to an estimated 4m people, have the highest level of malnutrition-related illnesses among children in the world. Research shows that our health intervention at early stages not only reduces illness but also improves intellectual well-being of children, helping create better chances for them and their families later in life.
‘We believe denying basic healthcare is a violation of human rights.’
Dr. Farhana Ali
(Chief Medical Officer)
PREGNANCY SCHEME
Children’s Hope launched its Pregnancy Scheme to provide adequate levels of antenatal care for expectant mothers and to ensure safe delivery of their babies at a recognised clinic. Antenatal care includes regular check-ups for pregnant women, providing nutritious food such as milk and eggs, and food supplements such as folic acid and vitamins.
WATER PURIFICATION
Unclean drinking water in slum areas poses a serious health risk. Children’s Hope has taken the initiative to distribute water purifying tablets and to train families on how to make water safer to drink.
VACCINATIONS
FIGHTING LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS
Vaccination is generally considered to be the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. Children’s Hope has successfully arranged vaccination programmes, in partnership with Glaxo Smith & Kline (GSK), against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Typhoid, for all sponsored children.
The ability to afford medical costs and access specialised treatment facilities are two critical factors which determine whether someone will survive a life-threatening illness in Bangladesh. The introduction of our healthcare scheme has addressed both of these critical factors and has saved many lives over the years.
WALK IN CLINIC
NUTRITION
Bangladesh has the highest prevalence of child malnutrition in the world. To boost normal growth and development of children living in slums, Children’s Hope provides nutritious food to all of its sponsored students three times a week, throughout the year.
Our healthcare provision includes a drop-in service at our doctors’ clinic four days a week for health check-ups, medical tests, free prescriptions, and referrals to specialised consultants.
HEALTHCARE
Read how our wide range of activities has, for Dhaka’s slum children, created once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, every day.
