Josna Begum (38) carried the quiet burden of years spent battling diabetes and high blood pressure. Living in a remote village of Galachipa in Patuakhali District, even reaching the nearest hospital took hours, making regular checkups impossible. Relief came when a satellite clinic was set up within walking distance. There, a routine checkup revealed her condition was critical. She was immediately referred to the Upazila Health Complex, where timely treatment helped her recover.
Many such stories have accumulated in four unions (Galachipa, Ratanadi Taltali, Golkhali, and Gajalia) of Galachipa Upazila, Patuakhali. Here, under the ‘Satellite Clinic’ program, 64 clinics were operated by incorporating 80 PVCs during May-June 2025. This service delivery method offers new assurance for the poor and marginalized communities. A total of 960 women, children, adolescents, and elderly patients received services. Among them, 32 were referred to government hospitals for advanced treatment. This initiative is part of the ‘Pathways to Prosperity for Extremely Poor People-European Union (PPEPP-EU)’ project, funded by the European Union, with support from PKSF, and implemented by WAVE Foundation. Its primary goal is to ensure health and nutrition services for pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescents, children under five, and persons with disabilities from extremely poor families.
Approximately 13-member teams including medical assistants, trained nurses, nutritionists, and volunteers regularly provide services at each satellite clinic. The scope of healthcare here is quite extensive, covering check-ups for pregnant and postpartum women, treatment for pneumonia, diarrhea, and skin diseases in children, gynecological services for adolescents, identification of age-related diseases in the elderly, and referrals for persons with disabilities as needed. The challenges faced in delivering these services to remote areas are not easily understood. The communication challenges, poor road conditions, and difficult natural environment all make organizing each clinic challenging, but these are overcome through the tireless efforts of a committed team. Additionally, activities such as measuring children’s weight, identifying malnutrition, managing nutritious food, and raising awareness about family planning are also ongoing at each clinic. Follow-ups are ensured for any referred patient. This project is also actively involved in various government programs, including the National Vitamin ‘A’ Plus Campaign, World Breastfeeding Week, and Deworming Week. Free medicine distribution programs are also active in these clinics.
