Outpatient Dept complex for 250-bed hospital in Cox’s Bazar begins operation

A new Outpatient Department Complex for 250 Bed District Hospital in Cox’s Bazar, funded by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, will begin operations following the handover ceremony held on Thursday (Jan 12).

UNHCR constructed, equipped and furnished the complex to provide timely lifesaving medical treatment and secondary care to Bangladeshi population and Rohingyas.

Services will include comprehensive eye and dental care and various medical and surgical consultations, said the UNHCR.

Modern elevators, firefighting system, and state of the art equipment will help enhance access to healthcare.

The completion of this facility, which includes 78 rooms across three floors, is a testament to the close working relationship between the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR, and the collaboration and efforts to improve the lives and wellbeing of the people in Cox’s Bazar, both Bangladesh population and Rohingyas.

UNHCR has made significant contributions to the district public health care system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNHCR constructed and equipped the first Intensive Care Unit in Cox’s Bazar district, located at Sadar Hospital in 2020.

This unit, fully supported by UNHCR, had 18 intensive care and high dependency beds, serving critically ill patients from the wider district and provided a referral pathway for Rohingya refugees. UNHCR handed over the facility successfully in December 2021.

From the onset of the Rohingya emergency response in 2017, UNHCR and its partners have been delivering health services for Rohingya refugees, while extending support to the host community.

While overall health situation and service delivery have improved, limited access to services, makes it all the more essential to continue strengthening health interventions to address the needs of both refugees and the host community.