An effort needs govt backup
Farmer Jamaluddin now leads a normal life after about two years' treatment. He came to the hospital on Tuesday for routine checkup.
Rafiqul of Rangpur, Aleya Begum of Ranir Bandar in Dinajpur and Alamin of Ghoraghat in Dinajpur were among many at the hospital who also came for checkup.
They were all praise for the hospital as it gave them "new life".
Eight to ten patients from different areas of the country stay at the hospital for "intensive treatment".
Filaria is a common disease in northern districts. Unofficial survey done by NGOs says around one per cent of the country's population is affected with the disease, spread by mosquito. The percentage is many times more in Nilphamari. A Filaria attacked person is a burden to the family and the society. The affected part of the body swells unusually and the person becomes disabled. Usually legs, hands, scrotum of male, breast and ovary are attacked.
If not cured, it may lead to death.
The lone Filaria hospital in the country that treats about 3000 patients annually from the dangerous disease has drawn the attention of many home and abroad, but not of the government.
The doctors, nurses and others at the hospital raise hopes in many. But they are in despair.
They do not know whether they will get their salary after the current month.
The hospital in the outcome of a laudable initiative by an NGO--Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of Bangladesh (IACIB).
The government has a Filaria Eradication Programme, but that is limited to supplying DEC (Diethyl carbamazine) and Albendazole tablets, which is a preventive measure.
Initially, IACIB had launched the hospital at in a rented house at New Babupara at Syedpur town in 1995 with two doctors and two nurses.
Being impressed, the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JAICA) came forward with assistance. The hospital was shifted to its present two storied building at Dholagong in 2002.
The eight-bed hospital with modern treatment facilities has four doctors, four nurses and five staff now. Patients now come from different areas of the country.
A Netherlands-based donor organisation SIMABI supplied equipment and is also providing salary to the staff.
Talking to this correspondent, the hospital's Co-ordinator Ismail Jabiullah said a serious patient may take six months to three years for full recovery. Operation is done only in critical cases.
He said the hospital also trains nurses of government hospital and takes part in government's Filaria Eradication Programme.
"We supply to people DEC (diethyl carbamazime) and Alben-dazole tablets under the government's Mass Drug Administration (MDA)".
When contacted over phone in Dhaka, government's Filaria Eradication Programme Manager Dr Moazzem Hossen said the Syedpur Filaria hospital is doing a "commendable job". Besides treating patients, it is supporting government's Filaria programme, he said.
Newly elected chairman of Syedpur municipality Akhtar Hossen Badal said the hospital is doing a remarkable job in treating Filaria patients coming from different areas of the country. "We are proud of having such a hospital here."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. But a worried Jabiullah told a sad story. SIMABI provides salary to the hospital staff under a grant agreement, which will expire this month. If the agreement is not renewed, they will not get salary from next month, he said.
The rush of patients is increasing. The hospital should be expanded to a 50-bed one and treatment facilities improved further. There is no staff quarter, no boundary wall. All these need finance.
"The government so far gave only Tk 20,000", he said.
Health and Family Planning Secretary ASM Sarwar Kamal visited the hospital on March 11 this year and assured all possible help.
JAICA Country Director Takasi Shakamoto also visited the hospital on May 22 and assured of all possible help, Jabiullah said.
Canadian High Commissioner Devid Preston, Turi Koeami of HRDRH of Japanese, Dr Goutom Biswas of WHO (Geneva), Dr EA Padwasini of WHO (South East Asia) visited the hospital and expressed their satisfaction.
Nilphamari Civil Surgeon Nazrul Islam said two nurses from each upazila health complex are being trained on Filaria treatment at the hospital. "We are also sending doctors to the hospital on deputation.
He expressed optimism that the hospital would be further nodernised.
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