Dakkhina Babu Community Clinic (CC) at Notabari village in Dimla upazila under the district has become a trusted name for the treatment seekers in the surrounding villages, thanks to the sincere efforts of the community group (CG).

They motivate people to take modern health care facilities, monitor standard of service and often subscribe to meet its essential needs.

As per rules, each CC under the government's health department is to be supervised by a 17-member CG comprising locals.

Dakkhina Babu Community Clinic, chosen as the district's best community clinic last year, provides service to 40-50 patients including pregnant women daily.

Functioning from 2011, the clinic was named after late Dakkhina Babu, donor of the clinic's land.

"A CG member always remains present at the clinic by turn on workdays to ensure quality service. The government appointed community health care provider (CHCP) here renders service beyond office time, even visits serious patients at their home," said Mokhlesur Rahman, head of the clinic's CG.

This correspondent visited the clinic on Monday when a CG meeting was going on.

"The meeting has been called to discuss construction for a boundary wall and the main gate of the clinic. Tk 20 thousand collected for the work from contribution of CG members and selling paddy donated by locals has been deposited at a bank," said CHCP Mohabbat Hossain, also secretary of the CG.

Samorendra Nath Singha Roy nephew of land donor Dakkhina Babu also a CG member said he bears the clinic's power consumption cost, extending his domestic electricity line there, to help the CHCP send updated data online to the higher authorities.

"I'm impressed to see the garden in front of the community clinic where CG members planted medicinal trees and flower plants at their own cost," said Rafizul Islam, chairman of Dimla union parishad.

Several patients like Kuntibala of Notabari village and Habibur of Pocharhat said they are happy to get treatment from the clinic in a friendly atmosphere.

Visiting the CC, several foreign delegates including Alen Talens, health advisor of international NGO World Renew, and JAICA volunteers Mike Tosui and Miss Matsunaga expressed satisfaction over quality service there.

"In last year, Dakkhina Babu Community Clinic was selected as the district's best CC, of a total of 172. The concept of community clinic of Bangladesh serves as a role model for other countries as well," said Nilphamari Civil Surgeon Dr Abdur Rashid.