80-yr-old maternity centre serves Rangpur’s poor free of cost

Established in 1940, Maternity Centre, now known as ‘Mother and Child Welfare Centre’, serves Rangpur’s poor expectant mothers free of cost. It has been a saviour for new mothers and newly-born infants in the area.

The three-storey medical centre, located on the premises of Rangpur city’s Old Sadar Hospital, has already helped 4,224 mothers deliver their babies normally over the past eight years.

The centre's outdoor medical service is stationed on the ground floor the 10-bed ward on the first floor and the operation theatre on the second floor.
The medical centre is open 24 hours for all.

The only physician at the hospital, Muhtarima Begum, said they only perform surgery when normal delivery may harm the mother and child.

“We try to deliver the babies normally,” she said.

The hospital is run by a 20-member staff including a physician and eight family welfare inspectors.

The medical centre authorities said between 2011 and the first week of May 2019, so far 6,696 babies were delivered here. Of them, 4,224 were delivered normally.

During this span of time, 49,173 mothers visited the centre for medical care during their pregnancy.

“I availed free medical care without any hassle. They are good people,” said new mother Afsana Mimi.

During a visit to the medical centre, this reporter saw that 10 expectant mothers admitted to hospital while some others are taking free medical care.

“This is my first medical check-up. They didn’t charge any money,” said an expectant mother.

The medical centre is run by the government’s family planning centre at the upazila. It was first opened as Maternity Centre in 1940. Later, the centre was renamed as ‘Mother Care and Child Care Centre’. It was renamed again in 1990 as ‘Mother and Child Welfare Centre’.

Rangpur division’s family planning office’s deputy director SM Saidul Islam said the number of patients is rising day by day as the centre is committed to serving mothers and children.