Supporting population health through Bangladesh Health Project

Cataract surgery for ultra-poor residents

We rely on donations to support various health services for vulnerable people living in Balagram village. These include

·         financial assistance to ultra-poor individuals for medical treatment (e.g. schizophrenia medication and cataract surgery).

·         operating costs of a primary care clinic to provide village residents (adults and children) with basic health screening to manage chronic illness and disability

·         teacher support in OfP’s primary school and two early learning centres so that village children can learn how to maintain healthy lifestyles.

Rehabilitation support for disabled children

You can make donations to BHP through Vancouver’s Mid-Main Community Health Centre, at this link. Please indicate that your donation is for the Bangladesh Health Project.

Concerns about AI among health care workers

Shuvashish Das Bala, Assistant Professor & Coordinator at IUBAT College of Nursing has co-authored another original research article titled “I Wonder if my Years of Training and Expertise Will be Devalued by Machines: Concerns About the Replacement of Medical Professionals by Artificial Intelligence" in SAGE Open Nursing. The paper was based on semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions in Dhaka with nearly 50 participants who had recent AI training or experience, including nurses, physicians, radiologists, medical technicians, pharmacists, and hospital administrators. The authors conclude, “The study underscores the need for ethical guidelines and robust regulatory frameworks, balancing innovation with ethical and legal considerations…. Trust and acceptance of AI are central to the successful adoption of this technology…. Patient–provider relationships and the intricacies of healthcare policy and regulation also play pivotal.… While concerns exist, AI has the potential to be a transformative force that, when harnessed with care and ethical considerations, can enhance the healthcare sector for the benefit of both professionals and patients.”

Bangladesh's daughters

The New York Times recently published the series India’s Daughters with some parallels to Bangladesh. The six articles are about the conflict over young women’s futures amid the new opportunities offered by a flourishing economy. A daughter who gets a good job can lift her family out of poverty but many women are held back by cultural expectations that they should only have care-giving roles at home. Poor families with ambitious daughters must decide how much they should invest, with how much risk, for an uncertain future reward. And, just as important, who should make that decision?

The Government of Bangladesh has introduced many financial supports that enable parents to allow their daughters to finish their schooling. But there are still some costs and the extra years of supporting a daughter at home rather than married or working. Oasis for Posterity is tackling the issue by reducing cost barriers at the pre-K centres, at Bluebell School and at OIST and providing bursaries for female students attending local secondary schools. Your generous donations help Bangladesh’s daughters to delay marriage, finish their education and find work that brings them financial independence.