Improving care for malaria patients
MSF's work in Bangladesh takes place in three districts that make up
the Chittagong Hill Tracts region, an isolated area near the country's
borders with Myanmar (Burma) and India, in which the need for
medical aid is tremendous.
Government policies and insurgent groups
have inflicted discrimination, deprivation
and marginalization on the region's indigenous
people, resulting in decades of conflict
and massive displacement. Moreover,
public health care services are scarce, and
few other NGOs are present.
Since 1999, MSF has a wide network of
clinics, malaria-treatment sites and healtheducation
outreach posts in the northern
part of Khagrachari district. Recently, the
organization extended its activities to the
neighboring Rangamati district. The
Chittagong Hill Tracts, unlike other parts of
Bangladesh, are hard hit by malaria, which
produces high rates of illness and death.
MSF treats people with malaria using highly
effective artemisinin-based combination
therapy (ACT). The organization is conducting
research on the effectiveness of various
treatment regimes, and its studies have
shown that resistance to chloroquine, the
government's current first-line treatment
for falciparum malaria, is as high as 40 percent.
As a result, MSF is actively advocating
for a change in the treatment protocol and
the introduction of ACT as the first-line
treatment in Bangladesh.
Beside running two standing clinics in
Khagrachari, the MSF team uses three
mobile clinics to bring health care to
remote villages. Many of these areas are so
difficult to access that MSF staff must reach
them by foot or by boat. Rapid diagnostic
tests for malaria and subsequent treatment
are also offered in a number of "malaria
field sites" and health-education outreach
teams visit villages that are near the clinics.
The outreach workers promote the clinics
and use games and drama to increase
awareness of health topics such as malaria
prevention, prenatal care and basic
hygiene. In December 2003, MSF started a
second project in the Bandarban district
that also employs a mobile clinic, several
malaria field sites and health-education
activities in remote villages.
By June 2004, with the malaria season
approaching its peak, more than 8,600
medical consultations had been conducted
in MSF's health facilities.
MSF has worked in Bangladesh since 1985.
|
)
