Nasima Begum of Gobordiya in Bagerhat Sadar had long been suffering from palpitations and respiratory problems. She underwent medical treatment locally at various times. She would recover for some time after taking medicine and then fall ill again. She couldn't afford to consult a specialist for better treatment.
Then one day she heard that specialists from Dhaka would be coming and providing medical treatment. She was thrilled and on Friday she travelled around seven and a half kilometres to the Kulidair Eidgah grounds.
Over 800 people like Nasima Begum turned up at Kuliadair in Bagerhat Sadar to consult the specialist physicians. There were 17 physicians at the medical camp organised by Faraaz Hussain Foundation. They included specialists in surgery, medicine, gynaecology, orthopedics, paediatrics and more. Alongside the medical treatment, the patients were also provided free medicines by the top pharmaceutical company of the country, Eskayef.
After receiving treatment at the camp, Nasima Begum said, "We are poor people. I have been suffering for quite a few years now. I go to the hospital, take medicine, but do not get better. Where will I get the money to consult a big doctor? I heard that they were providing free treatment here and giving medicines too and that's why I have come. The doctors here are really good. They listened to my ailments and gave me medicine."
"Treatment for Humanity" was the slogan of this medical camp, assisted by the Mahmuda-Aftab Foundation. The programme was inaugurated Friday morning by local senior teacher Kazi Mohiuddin Tipu. Present on the occasion were Faraaz Foundation's senior deputy general manager Md Wahiduzzaman, Mahmuda-Aftab Foundation's chairman Rafiqus Salehin, Eskayef Bangladesh Limited's Khulna divisional sales manager Md Khairuzzaman, regional manager (Bagerhat) Md Rakibuzzaman and others.
At 11:00am Friday morning, Sheikh Zahurul Ali (55) was brought along in a wheelchair to the camp. He had been paralysed for over two years. He said, "I have been unwell for long and am always seeing doctors and taking medicine. It is difficult for me to travel in this condition back and forwards between Khulna and Dhaka. I've come here because I heard these important doctors have come so close to our home. They are sincere and are treating patients well. I pray for them. It is very beneficial for patients like me if such camps are held occasionally."
The camp provided free medical treatment from 10:00am till 5:00pm throughout Friday. The organisers said that over 800 marginalised persons received treatment during this daylong programme. Most of them were women.
Gynaecologist Meherun Nessa, treating patients at the camp, said, "We had treated patients here earlier too. We got a lot of women patients between the age of 18 and 49. We give them prescriptions as well as counselling. Rural women really need such arrangements."
Chairman of Mahmuda-Aftab Foundation and surgery specialist Rafiqus Salehin, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, "There were quite a few complicated cases here, with heart ailments, tumours, etc. They require surgery. Many have not taken any treatment for long, or were unable to. We are now looking into how we can bring them to Dhaka and perform surgery and provide the treatment they require."
Other specialists providing treatment to patients included Sheikh Abdul Fatah, Salman Salehin, Selina Khatun, Sumaiya Zakir, Ejaz Hossain, Kazi Shariful Islam, Mitul Chakraborty, Md Abdul Kader, MA Karim, Maria Sadaf, Sayra Akhter, Nasim-ul-Ahmed, Mohammad Mizanul Huq, Hosna Ara Hossain and Bidyut Kanti Pal.