Chhatak is surrounded by Meghalaya on the north and Dowarabazar Upazila in the west. The intervention areas- Noarai Union of Chhatak, Narshingpur and Banglabazar Union of Dowarabazar are far behind in many parameters of social development. Main source of income in the area is agriculture.
LHBL which has an integrated cement plant at Chhatak, came forward to support these marginalized communities with comprehensive healthcare. The project was implemented in the rural communities in Chhatak and Dowarabazar – two Upazilas of Sunamganj District in Sylhet Division.
Because of being a flood prone area the region’s main economic activity of rice crop cultivation is vulnerable. As a result, most of the people in the region are stuck in absolute or marginal poverty, moving in and out of poverty depending on how the monsoon spares them, and are in need of alternative livelihoods that would reduce their dependence on cultivation as the main source of income. They can’t afford medical treatment and there were not many healthcare institutes near the intervention area, so it was all the more difficult for the marginalized families to go for a medical check-up.
LHBL set up a Community Development Center located beside its plant to make it the hub of all its community development activities. Through am implementing partner IDEA, the company set up a healthcare center in its building to provide health service to the communities.
One doctor and a trained nurse working for 6 days of the week to provide health services to the community people. They provide basic health treatment, health education, family planning service, and pregnancy checkups, women and children EPI etc. free of cost.
LHBL has spent over Tk.5 crores to provide healthcare supports for the marginalized communities around its Chhatak plant through this initiative till now. In addition, BDT 3 crore was spent to construct the two storied CDC building that houses the medical center. It is the first and only private healthcare center in the area. So far 250,000 patients have received healthcare services
