A unique CSR project to serve underprivileged people

A non-profit, private hospital in a remote village of Brahmanbaria district sets an ethereal example of making a good impact on providing quality health treatment to the poor people at minimum cost.

Mahbubur Rahman Memorial Hospital and Nursing Institute (MRMHNI) has already become prominent as a modern healthcare service provider for poor people of various regions of the district.

The entity won the prestigious Standard Chartered-Financial Express CSR Award in 2008.

In addition to this, various economic activities are now running in the vicinity centering the hospital situated at the Rupsadi village of Banchharampur upazilla, nearly 60-kilometer away from the capital city.

During a recent visit to the facility, the well-equipped hospital complex was found busy with good number of patients accompanied by their attendants.

The 100-bed hospital is equipped with many modern facilities including medical equipments, operation theatre, a model pharmacy, 24-hours emergency service, generator, physiotherapy centre, an ambulance and adequate number of staffs.

It also offers free bed with three square meals, cabin at minimum cost.

The MRMHNI was established on 8 bighas of land in July 2006, when the villagers didn't have access to minimum healthcare facility, said   Md Atiqur Rahman, Founder Member of the hospital.

Atiqur Rahman is also managing director of Rahman Knit Garments Ltd, Hi-Tech Steel Ltd and Maksuda Spinning Mills Ltd.

"It will be difficult for many newcomers to imagine the social and economic changes made in the last twelve years centering this hospital," he said.

Though only 60-kilometer away from the capital city, people of Banchharampur were seriously deprived of treatment at the time of their crying need mainly due to extreme poor transportation system, he said.

He added that the patients had no alternative to move to Dhaka, Narsingdi, Narayanganj or Comilla for treatment.

"In such circumstances, we started the hospital's journey," he said, adding that the facility is christened after the name of his father Md Mahbubur Rahman, who was a government service holder.

Mahbubur Rahman's four sons including Mr Atiqur Rahman supervise the non-profit healthcare facility under a family trust.

On a Friday morning, an elderly lady was seen waiting at the four-storey hospital premises with her grandchildren in lap.

When asked, she told the FE that she brought her eight-month old grandchildren to get advice from a consultant for its respiratory related complication.

"We are enough fortunate to get advice from a high profile doctor in our own village," she said.

 "We come here not only for its suitable location for us but also for the standard of services," she said, adding that the Upazila health complex is around 30-minute away from her home.

The hospital helped the villagers save both money and time, she added.

When approached, some of the locals said many businesses like medicine shops, restaurants, stationery store, tea stalls and transportation grew to meet the growing need of patients and their close ones.

Explaining the economic progress in the village, they said the land prices have also soared by several times in the last one decade.

A mosque, orphanage, a new high school and two kindergartens have been established there centering the hospital during the period.

With relentless effort, Rahman brothers managed to establish road communication with the Sadar.

State-owned Janata Bank also opened a branch at Rupsadi Bazar in 2013 upon the request of Mr Atiqur Rahman. The bank now provides banking service to around 10,000 people.

The bank has made huge contribution to the financial needs of about 1.0 million local people, said Mr Rahman.

In response to a query, the industrialist said the family trust has so far invested Tk 350 million for the hospital from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund.

The hospital is now capable of operate with its own revenue, however it offers free-of-cost treatment to ultra poor patients.

The facility created direct employment for 86 individuals, including six full time doctors, coming from various parts of the country.

Besides, five specialist physicians advise patients as consultants on every Friday and Monday.

Mentioning hospital's success, Mr Rahman said : "Our staffs conduct around 100 ultrasonography tests per day at a cost of only Tk 500 for per examination, which is much lower than that of any other diagnostic centers."

The figure crosses 150-mark on Friday, when a specialist gynecologist comes to the hospital.

The authority launched a nursing institute in 2015 aiming to create employment opportunity for the educated youth of the village.

"Our first batch of students completed their course this year, many of them get jobs in hospitals like Square and United," he said.

The family trust is now set to establish a polytechnic institute near the hospital complex, said Mr Rahman.

In response to a query he said he has already refused many foreign donors, who wanted to provide financial support for the hospital.

According to data available, 31,642 patients came to the hospital's Outpatient Department, while another 3,659 received service as indoor patients in 2016 calendar year.

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