The New Nation - Internet Edition

At a time when health service in Bangladesh is out of the reach of the poor, Grameen Healthcare Trust and Saudi German Hospital Group of Saudi Arabia are going to establish social business hospitals in the country to bring health services to the poor and disadvantaged people. The proposed business combine will be dedicated to providing primary and secondary healthcare to the people especially to the poorest and the most disadvantaged. It will establish hospitals; clinics and other health related services. This social business will be operated on 'non-loss and non-dividend' basis, which is claimed to mean that this business will be free to make profit but the profit would not be transferred to the stakeholder, except to pay back the amounts invested by the stakeholders in the business. All other profits of the business would be invested back to expand or improve the company's capacity to achieve the social goal for which it is established.

Medical facilities in Bangladesh is very costly and out of the reach of the poor and low-income group of people. The doctors charge high fees from the patients. Diagnosis of diseases and medicines are also very costly. Poor people cannot afford it. Public health facility is also very limited. The doctors in the public health sector are allegedly too busy with private practice. The poorer sections of the people have no alternative other than going without medicine. In acute situation, they depend on quacks for treatment which merely leads to further complication of the diseases. In this situation any initiative to reach treatment to the poor will be welcomed by all.

The targeted people may be brought under medical insurance coverage with lowest possible premiums payable. If charges are not kept low, the proposed hospitals and clinics will turn into medical facilities for the financially able persons at low cost. Let not this social business turn into a new device of exploiting the poor.

Ariful Huq

Dhaka