International service organisation Rotary has built a 15-bed High Dependency Unit (HDU) and handed over it to the Kurmitola General Hospital to strengthen the facility’s capacity in the fight against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.
Three Bangladeshi clubs—Rotary Club of Dhaka, Rotary Club of Metropolitan Dhaka and Rotary Club of Uttara—have built the HDU in the hospital at a cost of over $250,000 ($2.5 lakh), said a press release on Friday.
Rotary Club of Jodhpur Roundtown, Rotary Club of Calcutta Millennium and Rotary Club of Belur were the international partners of the global grant project under the Rotary Foundation, the charity wing of Rotary International.
The handover took place on Thursday at a ceremony held in Kurmitola General Hospital where Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi , also a member of Rotary Club of Uttara, was connected virtually as chief guest while DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam attended as a special guest.
Md Rubayet Hossain, immediate past District Governor of Rotary International District-3281, inaugurated the HDU while incumbent District Governor barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqui, District Governor Nominee TIM Nurul Kabir, Kurmitola General Hospital’s Director Brigadier General Jamil Ahmad also spoke, among others.
Tipu Munshi said coronavirus would continue to trouble the world and Bangladesh needs more facilities to fight against the virus.
“This modern HDU is a great example of great work done by an international organisation like Rotary. Our efforts will continue to strengthen the capacity in the health sector through such partnerships,” he said.
He said, under the health sector initiative, a cancer hospital is being built in Rangpur where Rotary Club of Uttara is a major partner.
“I am sure such steps would help improve the country’s capacity to deal with the serious health issues and Rotary can always a play a vital role in this regard,” he said.
DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam, also a Rotarian, said the establishment of the HDU unit would remain as a great service work of Rotary. He said more global projects under Rotary could benefit the people who need help.
District Governor Barrister Mutasim Billah Faruqui said the Rotary has undertaken many landmark projects in Bangladesh and the HDU is the latest addition. “Our efforts to provide service in partnerships with the government and other non-Rotary organisations will continue to be bolstered in the current year under the global theme of serve to change lives,” he said. “This HDU will brighten the image of Rotary in the public minds.”
Praising Rotary’s initiative, Brig Gen Jamil Ahmad said the addition of the HDU would help them provide better medical service to the critical patients.
The equipment installed in the new HDU is almost equivalent to the hospital’s current ICU. “If another wave hits us in the future, I can say, we are now better equipped because of this HDU,” he said.
Under the banner of Rotary International District-3281, some 300 clubs are working in Bangladesh. The Rotary International, headquartered in Illinois in the United States, has more than 1.2 million Rotarians from more than 35,000 clubs across the world.
Source: United News of Bangladesh