Bangladesh

‘Better information leads to decrease in deaths’

In Bangladesh, Simavi works with 22 local partners particularly in the south-western coastal region, the Char Delta, and in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in eastern Bangladesh. These areas are most vulnerable to natural disasters making the people who live here particularly poor.

Simavi is committed to providing safe drinking water, sanitary facilities and preventive healthcare, paying special attention to the water wells contaminated with arsenic. Three quarters of the population have no access to safe drinking water.

Improved health

In 2010, Simavi was successful together with its partner SLOPB (Foundation Land Development Project Bangladesh): the health of the people along the coast improved substantially. More than 37,500 people now have access to safe drinking water near their homes rather than having to walk several kilometres for it.

Safe drinking water, better hygiene and care for mothers and children have resulted in a decrease in child mortality from 40 cases in 2005 to 12 in 2009. However, in the reduction of maternal mortality much remains to be done.

Health education

In order to reduce the causes of maternal mortality, Simavi started a programme in 11 districts together with Rutgers WPF in July 2010, in which 5 local organisations give reproductive and sexual health education.

In addition, they train care providers in giving people skilful counselling and they are working on efficient services to provide the inhabitants of the districts with fast and easy access to the relevant aid.

Remote villages

For the past five years, Simavi has been working with Christian Hospital Changragona (CHC) in the remote mountainous Chittagong Hill Tracts area. Healthcare workers go to the remote and poorly accessible villages with mobile clinics to educate people on health by means of performing arts, folk songs, village gatherings and the lessons at school.

CHC trains women in the village to become basic care providers. This method works. CHC’s work over the past years has led to a decrease in the number of malaria infections and only one person died as a result of malaria in 2010, compared to 17 in 2008.