While treatment is available in major towns and cities, people living in more remote villages are often left to fend for themselves. For instance, the son of Manwera, a young mother, has been suffering from jaundice, apparent in a yellowing around the eyes, for more than a month. Unable to get to a qualified doctor, she had been forced to consult a local self-taught “doctor” whose knowledge about medicine was undetermined at best. In contrast, the CARE medical team provides both counseling and a chance to spot serious cases that may need more attention. “Most regular doctors would have little interest in coming to a remote place like this,” explains Dr. Hasdak. “It is really only the government and the NGOs who come here.”
The team headed by Dr. Hasdak is only one of ten medical teams that CARE has established in partnership with Dhaka Community Hospital (DCH) to cover the most affected remote and un-served flood areas. They are attempting to visit as many villages in outlying areas as possible (many of which are only accessible after several hours in a boat). How much CARE can accomplish depends to a great extent on the funding from major donors and private citizens.
CARE is helping with rescue operations, food distribution, emergency shelter, water treatment and disease prevention efforts. Once the immediate emergency needs are met, CARE’s efforts will turn to longer-term support that includes providing seeds to thousands of flood-affected families for early agriculture recovery, and supporting children returning to school. Funds given to CARE to support our flood relief efforts benefit Bangladesh and three other affected countries, or a donation to CARE’s Emergency Response Fund helps with relief efforts in emergency situations when and where the need is greatest.
Related Story: Bangladesh: Living on the Edge in a Flood
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