Health Sector is one of the three core sectors of DAM. Once a small entity of AMIC, has now become one of the sustainable sectors of the organization.
DAM Health Sector is contributing to the development of society through its multidimensional activities, and the dedication and determination are constantly being reflected among its members through various milestones rejoicing the work and achievements of everyone involved.
Health Sector is committed to bring a change and to ensure the support and care required for harmonious life. With the cooperation from different government offices, national & international NGOs, donors, voluntary organizations and kind-hearted individuals, the Health Sector strive to affirm well-being.
THE BEGINNING
DAM, at first, launched a program in 1990 which was titled as “Ahsania Madokota Protirodh o Niontron Kormoshuchi (Drug Prevention and Control Program), AMIK in Bengali. Its goal was to create peaceful societies where social harmony will prevail and devastating health, tobacco, drugs and HIV related harms will not exist.
In 2004, DAM changed AMIK to AMIC (Addiction Management and Integrated Care) to prevent and control tobacco, drugs and HIV/AIDS which were gradually taking an epidemic form in the society.
THE GROWTH
In 2011, AMIC felt that it has the potential to reach much larger population through its services. The expansion thus began. AMIC started expanding its activities beyond drug-related prevention and treatment activities and turned itself as one of the core sectors, the Health Sector.
- » To undertake appropriate community based participatory interventions with activities for prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases with synergy and coherence with the mainstream Government and other actors with similar programs in the field;
- » To improve access, equity, quality, utilization and institutional sustainability of Primary Health Care (PHC) services particularly for the poor, women and children;
- » To advocate and bargain with the Government to formulate and implement tobacco and drug prevention laws and policies and undertake measures to combat harmful effects.
Since then, it has been contributing to the health context in Bangladesh, in the perspective of Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals; especially to achieve the “SDG Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being for people of every societal level”.
HEALTH SECTOR STRATEGY 2015-25
Health Sector actions reflect the work Strategy that had been formulated in 2015, which prioritized
- » The provision of ESD+ (Essential Service Delivery) package including maternal and child healthcare, family planning services, reproductive healthcare and nutrition services for all
- » Expansion of the preventive and curative services for communicable disease
- » Scaling up addiction management treatment and rehabilitation services along with prevention of substance and tobacco use; and
- » Strengthening Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) care programs
During a review of the Sector Strategy during 27-29 November 2018, prevention of death and injuries from Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), strengthening mental health treatment services and promoting sound mental health, care for autistic children, HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment especially in the border areas, dental and eye treatment services for all, hygienic farming, nutritional improvement and care for elderly and healthcare financing were included in the work plan, which ultimately takes us one step closer to achieving SDG Goal 3. Health Sector has been in pursuit of fulfilling its work objectives to ensure sound health and well-being for all ever since.
MAJOR FIELD BASED PROJECTS
Health Sector has been delivering its services through its projects, programs and institutions. Currently it has been running twelve projects and programs
- » Urban Primary Health Care Service Delivery Project II (UPHCSDP-II) ; in four project areas – DNCC PA-03 (Mirpur), DSCC PA-3 (Hajaribag), RCC (Rajshahi City Corporation) and CoCC (Cumilla City Corporation) through its healthcare centers. Funded by Local Government and ADB
- » Feed the Future Bangladesh Nutrition Activity (BNA) project; which empowers and supports market and community actors to address underlying causes of malnutrition in Patuakhali. Supported by USAID through Abt.
- » Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program; which provides diagnostic and treatment services for TB patients and is funded by GFATM (Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) in Ward 1 and Ward 17 of Dhaka North City Corporation. Supported by BRAC
- » Tobacco Control Program; which is one of the core activities of the Health Sector that aims to protect people from the harms of direct and secondhand smoking. Currently it has been implementing “Advocacy for Mainstreaming, Sustainable, Implementation of Tobacco Control Law and Increasing Tobacco Tax and Campaign against TI Tactics” project with the support of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK).
- » Enhancing the capacity of Civil Society to prevent drug abuse among the youth; funded by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Assignment location is Cox’s Bazar (Ukhiya), Bangladesh
- » Prioritized HIV Prevention and Treatment Services for Key Populations in Bangladesh_MSM/Hijra Community; Location are Tangail, Faridpur, Rajbari, Rajshahi, Natore, Chapainawabganj, Sirajganj, Pabna, Naogaon, Bogura, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Khulna, Bagerhat, Kushtia, Satkhira, Jashore, Barishal and Patuakhali. Name of Client/Donor : International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh / The Global Fund.
- » Prioritized HIV prevention and treatment services for key populations in Bangladesh_FSWI; Location are Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Jessore, Satkhira, Dinajpur, Sylhet, Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Cumilla, Tangail, Gazipur and Narayanganj. Donor Save the Children// The Global Fund
- » Implementation of World Health Survey Plus (WHS+); Donor WHO through HelpAge International & working Area 8 Division of Bangladesh.
- » Advocacy of Stronger Road Safety Legislation in Bangladesh; Donor-Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) hosted by International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
ACCREDITATION
DAM Health Sector has been accredited by the Global Centre for Credentialing and Certification (GCCC) authority to conduct training for the addiction professionals on Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) to ensure proper treatment and rehabilitation of people with Substance Use Disorder; which is the sector’s specialized activity.
INSTITUTIONS OF THE HEALTH SECTOR
- » Ahsania Mission Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Gazipur (amic.org.bdand www.amdtc.org.bd )
- » Ahsania Mission Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Jashore (amic.org.bdand www.amdtc.org.bd )
- » Ahsania Mission Female Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Shyamoli, Dhaka (amic.org.bdand www.amdtc.org.bd )
- » Ahsania Hena Ahmed Monojotno Kendro ( Specialized Drug Treatment Center), situated at Alampur village of the Hasara Union in Sreenagar amic.org.bdand www.amdtc.org.bd
- » Monojotno Center; a specialized mental healthcare service center
- » Hena Ahmed Hospital; situated at Alampur village of the Hasara Union in Sreenagar Upazilla of Munshiganjhttp://www.hahospital.org.bd
- » Monasef Ahsania Health Center in Tongi, Gazipur
AHSANIA MISSION SHASTHO SHUROKKHA FORUM
DAM Health Sector has been running several projects/programs/institutions for the benefit and well-being of underprivileged population in our country. Its experience shows that often the poor cannot access the necessary health services as they cannot afford them. To ensure health services for all, Ahsania Mission ShasthoShurokkha Forum (AMSSF) has been formed in 2019 by the Health Sector to accrue fund for its multidimensional activities with the supports from kind hearted individuals and institutions.