Dhaka: The Rotary Club of Baridhara has sustained its commitment to enhancing child healthcare services by spearheading numerous humanitarian projects at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital. These initiatives have significantly aided thousands of underprivileged patients.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the club’s ongoing Medicine Bank programme recently facilitated the delivery of essential medicines to the hospital. This effort specifically aims to assist economically disadvantaged children undergoing treatment, with a focus on young cancer patients. The initiative, backed by contributions from club members, has been in operation for several years.
The formal handover of medicines was conducted by Rtn. Meherun Nessa Islam, the president (2025-26) of the Rotary Club of Baridhara, along with Rtn. PP Mosud Mannan, MPHF B, the secretary (2025-26), and Rtn. Ali Ashfaq, FCA, MPHF, the director of vocational service. Other notable attendees included Rtn. Saiful Huq, FCA, PHF, and Rtn. Taposh Shaha, in addition to various club members and officials from Bangladesh Shishu Hospital.
The Medicine Bank project began in the 2018-19 Rotary year with the donation of a refrigerator to the hospital’s Cancer Department and medicines worth Tk 1.6 lakh for impoverished patients. Since its inception, the initiative has grown into one of the club’s primary humanitarian efforts.
In the current Rotary year, the club’s contributions have increased to Tk 11.8 lakh in medicines to further support the treatment of underprivileged cancer patients. Beyond the Medicine Bank, the club has executed several healthcare projects at the hospital.
During the 2023-24 Rotary year, the club launched a global grant project focused on maternal and child health. This included the provision of advanced medical equipment to the hospital’s Nephrology Department and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), with the project valued at approximately $72,000. Renovations transformed the hospital’s general renal ward into a Special Care Renal Ward, significantly enhancing the facility’s capabilities.
The new equipment facilitates around 100 renal biopsy procedures annually, while also providing central line insertion services to approximately 20 patients each year. Additionally, the project introduced a Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) machine for critically ill pediatric patients.
In an earlier effort during the 2020-21 Rotary year, the club supplied psychometric assessment tools worth Tk 3 lakh to the hospital’s Neuroscience Department. These tools have been instrumental in conducting neurocognitive and neurodevelopmental evaluations for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, benefiting 5,946 patients as of February 2026.
The Rotary Club of Baridhara remains dedicated to its humanitarian mission, continuously striving to support child healthcare services and assist hospitals serving low-income communities.