A medical camp on eye, child care and general health was organized by CIPD at Sapchari Union Parishad complex, Sapchari Union, Rangamati Sadar Upazila in Rangamati Hill District on 25 Nov 2019. This health camp is a component under the “Enhancing Resources and Increasing Capacities of Poor Households towards Elimination of their Poverty-ENRICH (Samridhi in Bengali)” Programme which is jointly funded by PKSF (80%) and CIPD (20%). There is another people-friendly component on education under this “Samridhi Programme” and CIPD shoulders 5% of its costs. So far, since 2014, CIPD has organized 6 eye camps and 22 medical camps at Sapchari Union.
In the 5-hour-long free medical camp 188 patients availed free service with free medicine; among them 34 children and 73 male and female patients took service in general health, while 81 patients availed service on their eye problems and out of them 27 patients have been identified for cataract operation. They all will be sent to Lions Charitable Eye Hospital in Chittagong for cataract operation whose operational and all other costs would be borne by the project. Since 2014, in earlier 5 such free eye camps 79 eye patients got free cataract operation in Chittagong and it will rise to 106 with this new batch of 27 patients.
The medical camp was inaugurated by Ms. Fatema Tuj Johra Upama, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Rangamati Sadar Upazila. Among others Ms. Angela Dewan, Finance Secretary, CIPD, Mr. Veteayon Chakma, Regional Manager, CIPD and Mr. Mrinal Kanti Chakma, Sapchari Union Parishad Chairman were present in the inauguration ceremony. Dr. M.A.Abdul Hye (Junior Consultant, Child, Rangamati General Hospital), Dr. Sodhan Chakma (General Physician, Alliance Hospital, Rangamati) and doctors from Lions Eye Hospital, Chittagong provided service.