Summary

Program goals

HOPE Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh aims to provide health services to needy people in Bangladesh, particularly the women and children in rural areas.

Key program components

Hope Foundation established Cox's Bazar Hospital for Women and Children, a 40-bed charitable hospital in Ramu, Cox's Bazar. In addition to the main hospital, the foundation also operates 8 satellite clinics, called the Hope Medical Centers. The Hope Medical Centers are located in rural areas with low provision of medical facilities and medical doctors. Doctors do not wish to open private practice in such areas due to the distance from urban amenities and also because the local people cannot afford treatment. Thus, the medical centers offer much-needed medical services in an area with few doctors.

These clinics were set up through sponsorship from Bangladeshis living at home and abroad. Additional health care centers are expected to open in different rural areas of Bangladesh. The hospital and clinics provide the following services:

• Acute medical care, treatment and rehabilitative services

• Mass education of urban and rural areas to teach prenatal care, preventative health

• Infant care, maternity health, breast-feeding, and family planning

• Programs to rehabilitate disable women and children

• First aid stations and satellite clinics in rural area

• Raise awareness against child abuse

The Hope Foundation has also formed a partnership with an eye care center called Cox's Bazar Community Eye Hospital, which provides low-cost eye treatment and operations for the poor. Under the partnership agreement, the Eye Hospital doctors run periodic health camps in 5 of the Hope Medical Center locations and at Cox's Bazar Hospital for Women and Children. During the health camp, surgically correctable cataract cases will be selected from those who attend the camp. Under the partnership, the Eye Hospital is offering complete surgery for the cost of $50 USD. Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh aims to provide sponsorship for each of these surgeries through a fundraising campaign from its donor base.

At this time, the Foundation aims to provide surgeries to 100 patients at a total cost of $5,000 USD.

The 40-bed hospital opened in April 2005. This is a continuation of the care provided by the outpatient clinic which provided health care services to the local community for 5 years from January 2000 to June 2005. Over 60,000 people received medical treatment during that time. The hospital provides basic very low cost medical care including medication, evaluation and treatment, preventative health education, and minor surgeries. No-one is turned away for inability to pay. Their goal is to expand the 40-bed hospital and build a 200-bed facility. When completed, this facility will handle intensive care, inpatient and outpatient needs and will have a lab and radiology on site.

The program served 15,308 patients in 2011.