This hospital grant was awarded from the Japanese Government in late 1997 for infrastructure development and purchase of materials but there had not been included any administrative cost in this grant. Still we are working our activities since over 27 years and all medical accessories using properly. In 1996 in order to reduce the gaps between health services and the community, and to raise awareness amongst the poor of available health program the Maria Mother & Child Health Care Clinic was established and later it comes to be a be a general hospital with strong referral system in the community of remote village under Barisal district in Bangladesh. During the design process of program staff of this general hospital has able to identify the health problems in the community. It also met with the Upazila health and family planning officer to identify the best approaches to meet the needs these vulnerable populations. Utilizing this community consultation approach that included inputs from local authorities has ensured increased by inform key policy and community makers. Under this project at least 12 female Health Motivators are working in the field levels and they are always active to identified primary health problem and recorded in to referral slips. Patients them take these slips to nearby Maria general hospital are given preferential treatment. For health parishioners, the use of the slips means doctors can quickly identify the issues of concern and more importantly see cases in need of treatment. However the main focus of the program is to provide low cost medical service delivery amongst poor section of people in the intervention areas, especially who are not able to access health services due to their acute poverty and adverse surroundings. In that cases the health motivators to take the responsibilities to identify gaps between the clients and provide them counselling what they should be done during pregnancy if any complicated have seen. They also to be active to provide how they reach postnatal and antenatal care and all sorts of primary health care services amongst poor community. Finally the hospital is registered with the Ministry of Health Bangladesh Government and recognized as 20 beds general hospital.
The above circumstances were the main reasons for Aloshikha to start a small hospital with advanced medical equipments and especial attention is given to the health condition of women and children.
This hospital started its services in January 1997 and although it is expected that eventually the hospital will be self-sustaining in the long run but it is impossible to be self-sustaining right from the start. Aloshikha hopes to reach this start of self-sustainability in shortest possible times.
