New and improved health post rises from the ashes in Cox’s Bazar
Above: The new health post in Camp 17, Cox’s Bazar. Photo: Rubina Hoque Alee/Save the Children
On 19 March 2021, due to an electrical short circuit, a fire started at one of Save the Children’s health posts in Cox’s Bazar. The facility supports the primary health care of Rohingya refugees living in Kutupalong, the world’s largest refugee camp, housing nearly a million displaced people across 26 subcamps.
The health post – which is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership – was in Camp 17, one of the busiest areas of Cox’s Bazar.
Because the fire occurred on the weekend, there were fortunately no patients, staff, or volunteers at the facility. One guard present at the time did not sustain any injuries. With a joint effort from community members and the Fire Service and Civil Defense, the fire was under control within two hours.
As the health post was on a hilltop and there were no other shelters adjacent, the fire fortunately did not spread – Rohingya camps in Bangladesh have faced a spate of fires in recent years that have often spread quickly between homes.
Above: A patient attends the new health post in Camp 17, Cox’s Bazar. Photo: Rubina Hoque Alee/Save the Children
But the health post was completely destroyed.
Save the Children staff wanted to resume services as soon as possible.
“Despite the setback, we were determined to continue health care for these very vulnerable families,” said Dr. Abdullah-Al-Noman, Senior Program Manager of Save the Children’s Health Program for the Rohingya Response.
“As this facility was the only place for the health concerns of Rohingya people in that camp, our construction team erected tents, and the adjacent Save the Children Girl Friendly Space was turned into a transitional support facility within two days,” Dr Noman said.
Health staff provided services from the temporary facility, while Save the Children quickly developed an action plan to rebuild the original health post. In addition to conducting health consults and providing a pharmacy service to residents of the camp, outreach activities were undertaken to share messages about the continuation of health services from the temporary facility.
The reconstruction took eight months and ran into myriad logistical challenges.
“It was not so easy to restore a specialised facility in the middle of a camp,” explained Md. Anisul Islam, Senior Program Manager at Save the Children.
To start with, Md. Islam and his team determined that the new health facility should be built in a more convenient location.
“We found that the previous structure was on top of a hill that deterred children, pregnant women and elderly people from attending the clinic to seek support,” he said.
“But in a camp, finding suitable land for construction of the new facility and getting necessary permission from the authority is a nightmare.
“After a lot of efforts we finally chose a piece of land and got approval from the government. Then, we were engaged in preparing the design and budget, following the strict restrictions of government on the use of construction materials.”
In November 2021, the new health post was completed. It is on a flat surface, close to the refugees’ sheds, and providing all primary health services. The new facility is also more spacious than the previous one. After resuming operations in its full capacity, approximately one hundred refugees have started visiting the health post daily for health consultations and support.
Patients are happy with the improvements.
Joynal*, an elderly man living in the camp who suffers from Asthma, came to the newly-built health facility for treatment.
“I have visited the previous health post several times as well as the temporary set up. Now it is completely new, and the new look is even better,” Joynal said.
“I am happy with the treatment as well.”
Save the Children’s Health Post in Camp 17 was established at the beginning of the refugee influx in 2017, and has been supported through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership’s Bangladesh response.
Since opening its doors, thousands of vulnerable Rohingya people have been supported with lifesaving medical assistance by staff and volunteers. The new centre offers a range of primary health care services, including consultations, pharmacy services, maternal child health & nutrition, Infant Young Child Feeding support, outreach and referrals.
The Australian Humanitarian Partnership is now in its third, multi-year response to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, supported by the Australian Government. This third phase response runs until June 2023, prioritising gender equality, disability inclusion, localisation, WASH, protection, health, education and disaster risk reduction. The response is implemented through a consortium led by six Australian NGOs, working with 10 national partners.
*Name changed