Integrated Rural Health and Development

Saving the lives of mothers and babiesand of many others

Bangladesh A People Pushed to the Edge by Poverty

and Floods Lacking Good Healthcare and education

LAMB Maternal and child health focused

mission Access to healthcare for all

BangladeshWhere is it?

LAMBLAMB

BANGLADESH

Population 164 million, 2½ x UKPopulation growth 2.6 million each year Land area Same as England + Wales

A very crowded country

BANGLADESH

Culture/ Language 98% BengaliReligion 89 % MuslimAdult Literacy 59%Population with no Electricity 40%

A very poor country

•Inadequate Government healthcare facilities and not enough staff•Government treatment should be free, but in practice is not•Trained medical staff are scarce in rural areas - doctors, midwives•Transport can be difficult and costly so local clinics are more accessible

Why the Need for LAMB

Access to Qualified Healthcare

Pregnant mothers are at risk

• poverty means girls and women are often underweight for pregnancy• early marriage (illegally as low as 12) leads to girls bodies not ready for babies• high quality care at clinics and hospital• the poorest can receive care at LAMB

Why the Need for LAMB

Mothers and children at risk

• there is a need for community education on basic health issues• there is a severe shortage of women trained to give birth assistance• there is a shortage of nurses across the country• the disabled receive little help

Why the Need for LAMB

Community Clinics Community ProgrammeHospitalTraining CentreNurse Training InstituteResearchSchool

All parts work together and depend on each other

LAMB in a Nutshell

13

Integrated Rural Health and Development

Hospital Community clinics

Training

ResearchCommunity health

LAMB’s VisionThat the people of Bangladesh,transformed by the love of God,

live in healthy and just communities

LAMB – its History

1950s Vision1969-71 Land Purchased1978 First Community Work1983 Hospital Opened2000 Training Centre Opened2011 Nurse Training Institute

The name LAMB derives from“ Lutheran Aid to Medicine in

Bangladesh”

Three interlinking levelsVillage level: Volunteers & groupsUnion level: Committees & clinicsCentral Level:LAMB Hospital, Training, Research

The LAMB Community based approach

Clinics providing• safe birth facilities• health teaching• TB control• female empowerment• support to development of local and government institutions• disaster risk reduction

Community Activities

LAMB Statistics - Community

600 community staff + 450 Village Health Volunteers

67,000 patients seen at clinics 2,500 babies born in the Clinics/ Safe

Delivery Units 225,000 health teaching sessions Over 1million population covered

LAMB trained community health workers and midwivesPrimary health and antenatal careSafe delivery unitsManaged by the community

Local Clinics

Network of 450 WomenKeep in contact with every householdPrime route of health information flow both ways

Village Health Volunteers

WomenEducation Leaders (Committee & VHVs)

Health Promotion

LAMB Hospital

LAMB Statistics

Each year there are 60,000 Hospital out-patients 10,250 Hospital in-patients 3,700 Hospital deliveries 200 Hospital staff 150 Training, Research,

School and other staff

Attractive to patients because• typically 20+ doctors, always on call

• team of national and foreign doctors• good diagnostic facilities• well stocked reliable pharmacy • potential support to pay for bills

Hospital

Attractive to patients because

In-patient wards for

• obstetrics/ gynaecology

• paediatrics

• general surgery

• general medicine

Hospital

Care in the hospital

Obstetric fistula patients

Poor Fund in Practice

Seeking out those in need Patients treated equally Treat first, pay second Compassionate and caring Experiencing the love of Christ

Helping people like the next patient

Poor Fund In 2012

◦ 3500 inpatients ◦ average grant £20◦ also outpatients◦ total cost £80,000

The Poor Fund is a unique aspect of LAMB

Chaplains LAMB’s aim is that ‘people will experience the love of Christ,

and be offered help to understand what they experienced’

staff have their part in showing God’s love hospital and community based chaplains

LAMB Health Care Foundation

Supporting

Integrated Rural Health and Development

The story so far…

Nine years in action Providing most of the money for

the Poor Fund Income to date £1,350k Grants to LAMB £1,334k Poor Fund needs £80k in 2013 Our concern above all is for the

poor to be helped at LAMB

Health in the community

Care for any who are sick

Integrated Rural Health and Development

Thank you for your support