Newsletter Archives - HAEFA Bangladesh

HAEFA Newsletter – November 2021

Posted on December 6, 2021May 15, 2022 by Chonchol Mahmud

HAEFA COVID-19 Response:

Presumptive COVID-19 Cases:

The number of COVID cases are rising all over Bangladesh including in the Rohingya camps.
HAEFA is providing free medical services in the Rohingya refugee camps.

Cox’s Bazar District:

More than 55 COVID-19 confirmed cases were reported in the district during the month of October. Currently, more than 350 contacts are in home quarantine.

FDMN/ Rohingya Refugees:

In the month of October, more than 55 COVID-19 cases were reported. Presently, more than 70 contacts are in-home.

HAEFA Implementation of Project HOPE Mental Health and Resiliency Training:

HAEFA, in collaboration with Project Hope and partners at the National Institute of Mental Health, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, is implementing “HERO-BANGLADESH,” an online Mental Health and Resiliency Training of the Trainers for frontline healthcare workers including physicians, nurses, paramedics of Bangladesh.
Master Trainers will conduct two monthly training sessions beginning on the 15th of November 2021 through February 2022.
Participants of the training will be conducting cascading trainings to share mental health resources with their networks. HERO-BANGLADESH is aiming to train 3,000 healthcare workers by April 2022.
If you are interested in joining the training, please include your information in this registration form. If you have any questions about this training, please email mental_health@haefa.org.

Advanced COVID-19 Clinical Management Certification Course:

In collaboration with Brown University CHRHS, Project HOPE, DGHS Bangladesh, Bangladesh National COVID-19 Guideline Committee, SCIB, and USAID, HAEFA has developed and launched a new, web-based, interactive Advanced COVID-19 Clinical Management Certification Course on the DGHS website.
Cumulative number of Doctors registered for the online training course as of 7th November:

Completed Certification MCQ Test: 836

Passed and Achieved Certificate: 426

The project is successfully completed, and the promotional film for the course is in the review process. The course will also be visible on a2i, Muktopath platform.

Web-based Advanced Clinical Management Course:

The tri-party discussion meeting was held between MaMoni-MNCSP COVID-19 Response Team, HAEFA, and a2i (Aspire to Innovate).
The objective of the meeting was to reach an agreement regarding the launching of a web-based Clinical Management course at the Muktopath platform.
HAEFA will promote and reach the maximum target audience through a2i’s e-Learning platform ‘MuktoPaath’; provide the necessary guidance, support, and coordination for successful implementation of this course.

The HAEFA Community Clinic Visit by UNHCR:

UNHCR representatives Dr. Allen Maina & Dr. Taimur visited the HAEFA community clinic in October.

Family planning support and information:

The HAEFA team continues to promote Family planning counseling in Rohingya Camps as part of Family planning support and information.

Pathology Laboratory Information:

The lab started functioning on 11 October 2021.
The lab services include ASO (Anti-streptolysin O), Bilirubin test, Lipid profile, LFT (SGPT, SGOT), Pregnancy test, (RBS), HbA1c, Widal test – TO, TH, AH, BH, Serum albumin/creatinine/electrolyte/urea test, urine creatinine test
Samples from the Kutupalong camp were also transported to Balukhali as part of comprehensive health care services provided by HAEFA.

HAEFA is setting up a new transformer on a new electric poll for the Pathological Lab in Balukhali

Daily Synopsis Report of October 2021:

HAEFA healthcare professionals have been giving medical care to the Rohingya Refugees since its establishment. A summary of the medical conditions of the patients treated by the three camps of HAEFA is provided below.

Kutupalong (Camp 1w): HAEFA team provided health care services to more than 2450 patients in the Kutupalong camp.
Balukhali (Camp 9): HAEFA team provided health care services to more than 1715 in the Balukhali camp.
Bhashan Char FDMN: HAEFA team provided health care services to more than 1840 patients in the Bhashan Char FDMN camp.

The most prevalent cases were fever, cough, anemia, HTN, DM, skin diseases, presumptive TB, and other diseases among these camps. Prenatal care services were also provided.

Cervical Cancer (VIA) Screening:

In October, more than 2200 women were screened in 7 VIA centers in Cox’s Bazar. Around 4% of cases were positive.
Out of VIA-positive patients in Cox’s Bazar, the CC CXB team referred one VIA-positive patient (suspected of >CIN2) to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital for further investigation.
VIA Camps: The HAEFA Cox’s Bazar team organized VIA camps for the first time during this reporting time. The team organized four VIA camps in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Chakaria and Pekua Upazila. Around 450 women were screened.

Kurigram:

More than two thousand and six hundred patients were screened for Cervical Cancer in the UHCs of Kurigram, and nearly around 20 cases were positive for CC screening in the month of October.
The HAEFA team at Kurigram is working to ensure referrals for more than 120 positive patients to receive tertiary care in Rangpur.
On 10/25/21 the UHFPO of Rajarhat health complex, Kurigram visited the HAEFA VIA camp and was pleased to see such an organized and successful camp to ensure preventive health care
1 patient’s second cycle of chemotherapy began in September 2021 and was completed on 30th October, 2021.
Refresher training for the community facilitator by HAEFA Doctor was done on 31st October, 2021.

HAEFA NEWSLETTER – August 2021

Posted on August 22, 2021May 15, 2022 by Chonchol Mahmud

Flash Flooding and Landslide Devastates Rohingya Refugees!

Heavy rain caused by monsoons have caused flash flooding and huge landslides in the Rohingya refugee camps which have killed at least 11 and left thousands of Rohingya families homeless yet again. These flash floods and landslides are the next tragic event to happen to the suffering Rohingya refugees and are likely to continue as local weather officials predict the heavy rain will persist over the next few days.

The Rohingya people live on steep hills in makeshift housing made from bamboo, plastic tarps, and mud. As the monsoon rain continues, these houses are easily swept away as the ground beneath is eroded and falling or drifting debris becomes a major concern to all people in the area. Filthy rain water mixed with silt has accumulated and is quickly rising to submerge all in its path.

At least 3 children have been confirmed dead as they were crushed in their homes by a large chunk of a falling hill. Other casualties include children drowning in the flooded streams near Palong Khali refugee camp. More bodies will inevitably be found when the water levels decrease and the rubble is lifted. The elderly and sick are also at high risk, as they also lack the means to relocate to safety.

Many Rohingya have been injured from these catastrophic events and require immediate medical attention. Moreover, HAEFA’s medical center 1W Kutupalong remains in imminent danger of submerging due to poor drainage systems and surrounding dense forests. While several Rohingya Refugees died, some are currently hospitalized and thousands were relocated in the South-east camps in Bangladesh.

We urge you to support the Rohingya people in their time of need. By donating to HAEFA, you will be helping supply our emergency medical and rescue teams with the supplies and PPE they need to save lives as the flash flooding continues. Your donations will also be used to provide medical treatment to the many Rohingya who have been injured and infected by various water-borne illnesses. Once the water levels lower, there will be an increase in water-borne and other infectious diseases that will require increased resources to be managed by HAEFA.

Please extend your support for these suffering people and spread awareness of this catastrophe by sharing with your friends and family!

Rohingya Camp Activity:

Prior to the flash flood and landslide, the HAEFA medical team in the camps were able to provide healthcare to the refugees, with a total of 173,000 patients seen between October 2017 and July 2021.
Number of Patients Seen:
Kutapalong Balukhali
June: 1,904 June: 905
July: 2,118 July: 867

HAEFA has also treated 88 patients exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (but not tested) in the Rohingya camps in July 2021, and 37 patients as of August 5th, 2021.

Cervical Cancer Screening Program

Kurigram

The camp in Kurigram has been re-opened after being closed for a few weeks due to COVID-19 related lockdown. Since October 2019, HAEFA cervical cancer (CC) screetiing team has been working in 3 subdistricts/Upazilas: Ulipur, Chilmari and Negashwari. Recently, HAEFA CC team has expanded to working in all 9 subdistricts where women aged between 30 and 60 years of age are being informed of HAEFA’s activities and CC Screening by the community mobilizers, who counsel people for screening.

Cox’s Bazar

HAEFA has appointed a Project Coordinator, two medical officers, one IT manager alongside two assistants, one project assistant and two office assistants for the Cox’s Bazar site office in June 2021. The Inception Workshop on the “See & Treat” approach to screening and treating precancerous lesions of cervical cancer was held on June 10^th 2021. After the workshop, the Cervical Cancer (CC) Team visited their respective UHCs, DH and MCWC to be introduced to their UHFPOs, Superintendent, DDFP, MO clinic, RMO, and other key stakeholders and see the existing VIA screening facilities in the respective centers.

The CC team is in the process of procuring VIA beds, examination screens, consumable items and other necessary arrangements to send to all the centers /UHCs in Cox’s Bazar.

Pathology Laboratory in Balukhali

When patients in the refugee camp visit our facilities with non communicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes and hypertension, they undergo a few point of care tests at the HAEFA clinics. A need for HbA1c, lipid profiles, serum electrolytes and albumin, liver and renal function tests, Hb%, Pregnancy tests, etc was felt. Due to lack of diagnostic facilities in the camps, HAEFA has partnered with PwC Foundation and is currently setting up a Diagnostic Laboratory for the above tests to help determine prognosis and manage secondary compilcations of NCDs. The laboratory construction is expected to be completed in September 2021. LABAID is providing technical assistance to set up the Lab. Once the Lab is completed, HAEFA will be able to provide advanced care to the Rohingya refugees.

Update: Renovation of Health Centers

In collaboration with PwC Foundation, annual renovation of the HAEFA health centers in camp 1W (Kutupalong) and camp 9 (Balukhali) is being completed soon. Roof work has been completed, and toilet renovation is 80% complete.

Advanced COVID-19 Clinical Management Certification Course
In collaboration with Brown University CHRHS, Project HOPE, DGHS Bangladesh, Bangladesh National COVID-19 Guideline Committee, SCIB and USAID, HAEFA has developed and launched a new, web-based, interactive Advanced COVID-19 Clinical Management Certification Course on the DGHS website. This course is contextualized for Bangaldesh with a major goal to help the physicians of Bangladesh acquire a standardized COVID-19 management and treatment protocol in a convenient, self-paced manner through a series of 3 hour prerecorded videos and interactive case scenarios .

More than 1800 doctors are currently registered for the course.
694 physicians completed the training course.
336 have obtained online, printable certificates issued by Brown University CHRHS, Project HOPE, HAEFA and DGHS, Bangladesh.

Program Updates

An audio-visual promotional video for the COVID-19 certification course was produced with the goal of raising awareness of the course among doctors across the country.
A letter from the DGHS was sent to all BMDC-registered physicians to promote and recognize the need for the course nationally to help train Bangladesh physicians with a standardized evidence-based treatment protocol for COVID-19 management.