DHAKA, April 25, 2023 (BSS) - The 23rd founding anniversary of community 
clinic will be observed across the country tomorrow.

After assuming the office in 1996, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated 
the first community clinic at Patgati of Tungipara in Gopalganj district on 
April 26 in 2000.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given a message marking the founding 
anniversary of the community clinic.

In her message, the Premier said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the 
greatest Bengali of all time, the father of the nation, introduced the 
concept of community clinic to ensure primary healthcare at the grassroots 
level of the newly independent country. 

"In just three and a half year, Bangabandhu built health infrastructure at 
the sub-divisional and thana level to ensure healthcare at the doorsteps of 
the common people," she added.

"The Awami League government, after coming to power in 1996, decided to set 
up a total of 18,000 community clinics for every 6,000 rural communities. 
Within the year 2001, 10,723 infrastructures were established and about 8,000 
community clinics were launched. But the BNP-Jamaat coalition government came 
to power in 2001 and stopped the community clinic operation due to political 
grudge," the message said.

In her message, Sheikh Hasina also said that the Awami League government took 
over the responsibility of running the country and started setting up 
community clinics again in 2009. In addition to the increased number of 
service users, the community clinic is being constructed on the basis of a 
new design with a bigger arena.

"A total of 14,223 community clinics have been completed so far. Among them, 
1,811 new design community clinics have been constructed from 2015-2016. A 
total of 14,438 Community Health Care Providers (CHCPs) have been appointed, 
so far, including the appointment of 771 new CHCPs in 2022 to manage 
community clinic services," she said in her message.

"A total of 14,100 27 community clinics administered the COVID-19 vaccine. 
The clinic also offers primary health, family planning and nutrition 
services," the message added.

A salient feature of Community Clinic is that it is a successful joint 
venture of the government and the people. And for its continuity and 
sustainability, the government has passed the 'Community Clinic Health 
Assistance Trust Act'.

Some 30 types of medicine and healthcare items are being provided free of 
charge to marginalized people across the country including health, family 
planning and nutrition services.

In the current financial year, the annual allocation for medicine and 
healthcare supplies has been increased from Taka 241 crore to Taka 250 crore.