About Us

Health Sector is one of the three core sectors of DAM. Once a small entity of AMIC, has now become one of the sustainable sectors of the organization.
DAM Health Sector is contributing to the development of society through its multidimensional activities, and the dedication and determination are constantly being reflected among its members through various milestones rejoicing the work and achievements of everyone involved.
Health Sector is committed to bring a change and to ensure the support and care required for harmonious life. With the cooperation from different government offices, national & international NGOs, donors, voluntary organizations and kind-hearted individuals, the Health Sector strive to affirm well-being.

THE BEGINNING

DAM, at first, launched a program in 1990 which was titled as “AhsaniaMadokotaProtirodh o NiontronKormoshuchi (Drug Prevention and Control Program), AMIK in Bengali. Its goal was to create peaceful societies where social harmony will prevail and devastating health, tobacco, drugs and HIV related harms will not exist.

In 2004, DAM changed AMIK to AMIC (Addiction Management and Integrated Care) to prevent and control tobacco, drugs and HIV/AIDS which were gradually taking an epidemic form in the society.

THE GROWTH

In 2011, AMIC felt that it has the potential to reach much larger population through its services. The expansion thus began. AMIC started expanding its activities beyond drug-related prevention and treatment activities and turned itself as one of the core sectors, the Health Sector.

• To undertake appropriate community based participatory interventions with activities for prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases with synergy and coherence with the mainstream Government and other actors with similar programs in the field;
• To improve access, equity, quality, utilization and institutional sustainability of Primary Health Care (PHC) services particularly for the poor, women and children;
• To advocate and bargain with the Government to formulate and implement tobacco and drug prevention laws and policies and undertake measures to combat harmful effects.

Since then, it has been contributing to the health context in Bangladesh, in the perspective of Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals; especially to achieve the “SDG Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being for people of every societal level”.

HEALTH SECTOR STRATEGY 2015-25

Health Sector actions reflect the work Strategy that had been formulated in 2015, which prioritized

• The provision ofESD+ (Essential Service Delivery) package including maternal and child healthcare, family planning services, reproductive healthcare and nutrition services for all
• Expansion of the preventive and curative services for communicable disease
• Scaling up addiction management treatment and rehabilitation services along with prevention of substance and tobacco use; and
• Strengthening Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) care programs

During a review of the Sector Strategy during 27-29 November 2018, prevention of death and injuries from Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), strengthening mental health treatment services and promoting sound mental health, care for autistic children, HIV/AIDS diagnosis and treatment especially in the border areas, dental and eye treatment services for all, hygienic farming, nutritional improvement and care for elderly and healthcare financing were included in the work plan, which ultimately takes us one step closer to achieving SDG Goal 3. Health Sector has been in pursuit of fulfilling its work objectives to ensure sound health and well-being for all ever since.

MAJOR FIELD BASED PROJECTS

Health Sector has been delivering its services through its projects, programs and institutions. Currently it has been running nine projects and programs

• » Urban Primary Health Care Service Delivery Project II (UPHCSDP-II) ; in four project areas – DNCC PA-03 (Mirpur), DSCC PA-3 (Hajaribag), RCC (Rajshahi City Corporation) and CoCC (Cumilla City Corporation) through its healthcare centers. Funded by Local Government and ADB
• » Improvement of the Real Situation of Overcrowding in Prisons (IRSOP) in Bangladesh project ; which aids the prisoners with substance use problems with counseling and skill training in collaboration with GIZ-Bangladesh and Ministry of Home Affairs.
• » Health and Nutrition Voucher Scheme for Poor, Extreme Poor and Socially Excluded People (PEPSEP) project; in Savar and Satkhira municipalities; which ensures healthcare services for the target population through voucher scheme funded by European Union, and supported by Christian AID.http://amicpepsep.org
• » Integrated Emergency Humanitarian Response of the Rohingya Population in Cox’s bazar (IEHRR) project ; which provides healthcare services to the camp dwellers of Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar with funds from DFID and support from Christian AID.
• » Feed the Future Bangladesh Nutrition Activity (BNA) project; which empowers and supports market and community actors to address underlying causes of malnutrition in Patuakhali. Supported by USAID through Abt.
• » Tuberculosis (TB) Control Program; which provides diagnostic and treatment services for TB patients and is funded by GFATM (Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) in Ward 1 and Ward 17 of Dhaka North City Corporation. Supported by BRAC
• » Tobacco Control Program; which is one of the core activities of the Health Sector that aims to protect people from the harms of direct and secondhand smoking. Currently it has been implementing “Advocacy for Mainstreaming, Sustainable, Implementation of Tobacco Control Law and Increasing Tobacco Tax and Campaign against TI Tactics” project with the support of Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK).
• » Drug Abuse Resistance and Understanding (DARAU) project; which works for creating awareness through social mobilization, introducing policy measures, increasing fund allocation for combating drug abuse by government influences and strengthening CSO engagement for this purpose in Natore and Rajshahi. Supported by Counter Part International/USAID  
• » UN-ited Family Skills Program in Bangladesh; supported by UNODC; which has finalized the piloting phase of the parenting skill development programs in a prestigious school in Dhaka city.

ACCREDITATION

DAM Health Sector has been accredited by the Global Centre for Credentialing and Certification (GCCC) authority to conduct training for the addiction professionals on Universal Treatment Curriculum (UTC) to ensure proper treatment and rehabilitation of people with Substance Use Disorder; which is the sector’s specialized activity.

INSTITUTIONS OF THE HEALTH SECTOR

• » Ahsania Mission Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Gazipur (www.amic.org.bd and www.amdtc.org.bd )
• » Ahsania Mission Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Jashore (www.amic.org.bd and www.amdtc.org.bd )
• » Ahsania Mission Female Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center, Shyamoli, Dhaka (www.amic.org.bd and www.amdtc.org.bd )
• » Hena Ahmed Hospital; situated at Alampur village of the Hasara Union in SreenagarUpazilla of Munshiganj http://www.hahospital.org.bd
• » Hena Ahmed Shanti Nibash; a care home for elderly and senior citizens in Munshiganj
• » Monojotno Center; a specialized mental healthcare service center
• » Monasef Ahsania Health Center in Tongi, Gazipur

AHSANIA MISSION SHASTHO SHUROKKHA FORUM

DAM Health Sector has been running several projects/programs/institutions for the benefit and well-being of underprivileged population in our country. Its experience shows that often the poor cannot access the necessary health services as they cannot afford them. To ensure health services for all, Ahsania Mission ShasthoShurokkha Forum (AMSSF) has been formed in 2019 by the Health Sector to accrue fund for its multidimensional activities with the supports from kind hearted individuals and institutions.