A hospital on wheels

To render medicare to non-Covid-19 patients living in remote areas, Cox's Bazar district administration has initiated a mobile hospital service.

The campaign kicked off on April 26. Under the initiative, a vehicle equipped with medical facilities tours one specific area of the district, serving people from 10am to 1pm, said authorities.

The mobile hospital has brought huge relief for patients without Covid-19 symptoms, as they are finding it harder and harder to access medicare during the pandemic. The programme separates people who are suspected of being Covid-19 and sends them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for treatment.

Abdur Rahman, a resident of Kolatoli village of Cox's Bazar told The Daily Star that he had been suffering from abdomen pain but could not consult any physician as most of them are avoiding chambers during the pandemic.

"The mobile hospital has been a blessing for me. After days of agonising pain, I received medicine from the mobile hospital," he said.

Md Kamal Hossen, deputy commissioner of Cox's Bazar, said, "The mobile hospital has two doctors and a few volunteers. The hospital prescribes people and provides free primary drugs to those who need it. When any suspected case of Covid-19 appears, they are sent to Sadar hospital for specialised treatment," he added.

He said there is a standby ambulance accompanying the mobile hospital to carry coronavirus-suspected patients to Sadar hospital.

The initiative aims to ensure primary treatment for women, children, and the elderly who are facing problems as coronavirus is taking up most focus from the healthcare sector these days.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) has promised to lend a hand to this initiative.

Dr Mahbubur Rahman, general secretary of BMA, Cox's Bazar district chapter, told The Daily Star, "It is a great initiative for non-Covid-19 patients, who were denied treatment due to the contagious nature of the virus."

"We have promised to support the initiative with human resources. We have asked the district administration for a need assessment," he said.