Ongoing Projects Old

In 1990, DAM launched the programme AMIC (Addiction Management and Integrated Care) after recognizing the social and economic damage of drug abuse. Almost 20 years old, AMIC has seen it’s activities expand over the years and currently is multifaceted in the prevention and treatment of drug abuse. In 2002, AMIC was awarded with the highest national award by the Government of Bangladesh-Independence Award and is a member of the International Agency on Tobacco and Health and the International Council on Alcohol and Addiction and recently, a member of the Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control. AMIC’s current projects include the following:
01. Ahsania Mission Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre
Established First in 2004 in the district of Gazipur, and in 2010 in jessore the treatment and rehabilitation centre aims to provide clients with individualized quality treatment services. A comprehensive, holistic approach is implemented not only to assist clients in becoming drug free but to provide life skills, vocational training and psychosocial support through counseling. The treatment emphasizes not only on social rehabilitation but also economical rehabilitation and has recently created a Vocational Training Centre on-site to capacitate clients in a range of skills including electronics, garments and refrigeration. An integrated method of therapeutic community and the 12- steps of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is implemented. Clients who are admitted will first undergo 14 days of detoxification then start long-term treatment (approximately 6 months) which after completion are provided with follow-up after care.

Family support groups and community groups are also organized and family counseling provided to help in mending broken relationships and sensitizing family members on drug abuse.

02. Female Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center
With a greater understanding of the growing needs of Gender Responsive treatment for woman substance users, Dhaka Ahsania Mission come forward with “Female Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center” in Iqbal Road, Mohammadpur. It recognizes that success in recovery not only depends on the content of primary treatment but also on the availability of support services once a woman returns home to her family and community. Contrary to other centers in our country we actually designed to meet client’s needs of clinical treatment, family and community supports and counteract other social conditions that impact female by embracing few key principles and values in treatment. Treatment based on:

• client’s strengths not deficits
• choices
• Gender- specific
• Individual client needs
• Trauma-informed
• Women empowerment
• Life skills

Our center offers at first 14 day detoxification which then followed by 2.5 month rehabilitation program. After completing the process clients will be provided with follow-up after care. Family support groups and community groups are there to reintegrate those clients with their families and to the society as well.

03. Improvement of the Real Situation of Overcrowding in Prisons (IRSOP) Project
There are shortcomings in the prison system in Bangladesh for various reasons. One of the most urgent problems is that Bangladeshi prisons are over-crowded, with the number of prisoners at 250 to 300 percent of actual capacity. However, the largest proportion of prisoners is under-trial custody. Prison overcrowding is symptomatic of a larger problem with justice sector institution. Government has now agreed to work with GIZ for 35 districts with DFID funding under the title of Access to Justice through Paralegal Services and Restorative Justice (AJPSRJ). The project is expected to be for six-year duration from 2013 to 2018, title Improvement of the Real Situation of Overcrowding in Prisons (IRSOP).It will be implemented in 35 prisons and its catchment courts, police stations and communities in 10 districts. Prisoners who use drugs are often lack of facility of treatment and out of associated support like withdrawal management, counseling etc. Drug user’s prisoners and skill development training for poor and helpless prisoners to be supported in 10 prison sites.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission is implementing this project in 7 prison sites ( Dhaka, Kashipur 1, 2 & 3, Mymensing, Chittagon & Jessore) which are central prison with focusing in this area through the partnership with GIZ from 2014. Poor, marginalized and helpless prisoners and also drug user prisoners will get support for drug treatment and counseling and will receive skill development training who need the skilled based training;
so that they can easily be re-integrated in the society as potential members.

The key task and deliverables of this project are:

• Referrals of the drug dependents prisoners and released prisoners for treatment
• Skill based training for prisoners inside & outside of the prison
• Capacity building training for public and private drug treatment professionals
• Counseling session for drug dependent and other vulnerable prisoners
• Networking and referral linkage of potential public, private and corporate bodies to provide drug treatment, vocational training and micro finance for social reintegration.

04 .” Advocacy for Comprehensive Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Dhaka City” Project
The Government of Bangladesh has been signed and ratified Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) accordingly formulated Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act 2005, so smoking is prohibited at public places and public transports in Bangladesh. But veracity is that most of the public places and transports which have articulated by the law still are not fully smoke free. In addition, the law does not express about 100% smoke free environment for most of the public places and transports. As a result large number of peoples are effecting by second hand smoking.
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and having about 15 million populations. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Dhaka City is at the center of all major economic, social, political and cultural activities of the nation. Even though the ‘Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act 2005’ establishes smoke-free public places and transports, the enforcement of the law in Dhaka City is very limited. As a result, the people of Dhaka City are highly exposed to second hand tobacco smoke. Thus it is essential for protecting Dhaka city dwellers from second hand smoking. Smoke-free initiative in Dhaka City is substantially important not only for its large population, but also for its political significance as the Capital City of the country. Accordingly Dhaka Ahsania Mission has been implementing“Advocacy for Comprehensive Implementation of Tobacco Control Law in Dhaka City” project funded by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids (CTFK) under Bloomberg Initiatives. We do believe this project will be symbolized a lot of advancement of the tobacco control movement as well as reduce second hand smoke and make Smoke free Dhaka by establishing 100% smoke-free indoor environments in the city & necessary amendment of tobacco control law.
Present Project activities are –

• To increase awareness among Dhaka city residents and various stakeholders about the amended tobacco control law.
• To build capacity of responsible institutions, and support increased compliance of 100% Smoke Free policies in public transports and public places in Dhaka city, and restaurants across the country.
• To support enforcement of the newly amended TAPS provision and Ban of Sale to and By Minors through mobile court operation and advocacy with appropriate stakeholders in Dhaka.

05. Urban Primary Health Care Services Delivery Project (UPHCSDP)
The project aims to improve access, equity, quality, utilization and institutional sustainability of urban primary health care (PHC) services in all city corporations and selected municipalities, particularly for the poor and women and children. The project is funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Local Government Division (LGD) of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. AMIC-Dhaka Ahsania Mission has been implementing the project in Uttara area of Dhaka City and Comilla City through Dhaka City Corporation started from 1 January 2013. In both area of the project the project delivering the service from one Comprehensive Reproductive Health Care Center (CRHCC) and Six Primary Health Care Center (PHCC), equipped with OT, Diagnostic Lab, Stay Ward, and Others clinical facilities. The project is delivering the following services:
Maternal health care: Maternal health services is providing through static (CRHCC & PHCC) and satellite points. Demand side financing is utilizing with the services.
Population and family planning services: Contraceptives are being available with the support from Directorate of Family Planning. Accompanied with quality counseling, all temporary methods providing from PHCC through static and satellite points and long acting permanent methods including sterilization delivering from CRHCC as per standard guideline.
Neonatal and child health care: All PHCC and CRHCC delivering neonatal and child health care including Counseling of mothers on neonate and child physical and psychological care as well as improvement of treatment seeking behavior
Reproductive health care: Management of various RTI/STI with appropriate counseling providing from both PHCC (static and satellite) and CRHCC. Counseling included with identification of cervical cancer, breast cancer, fistula and other reproductive tract diseases.
Adolescent care: All PHCC and CRHCC providing defined adolescent health services and mobilizing adolescents to improve knowledge on adolescent sexual and reproductive health within greater community.
Nutrition service: A range of services encompassing nutritional counseling, prevention of malnutrition and food supplementation are ensuring for mother and. vitamin A supplementation for both children aged 6 months to 6 years and lactating mothers and promotion of iodized salt consumption planned for essential elements under nutrition services.
Communicable and non-communicable diseases control: DAM collaborating with the National Tuberculosis Program for ensuring TB screening and DOTS services. GFATM TB Program merged with UPHCSDP program. Service promoters trained for early referral of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Limited curative care: Provision limited curative care are delivering from DAM UPHCSDP Program.
Behavior change communication: DAM considering behavior change communication as cross-cutting issue for behavior change of service providers, clients and community stakeholders.
Diagnostic services and emergency transportation service: As part of support service there are pathological laboratory in each PHCC to perform defined tests of blood, urine and stool. A medium capacity pathological laboratory set up in the CRHCC to carry out the specified tests.
Violence against women: DAM will apply experiences that have already been earned while implementing various rights-based projects.

06.TB Control Project ” reduction of TB prevalence by 6% by 2017
In Bangladesh, Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem and a leading cause of adult mortality. The WHO ranks Bangladesh the sixth among 22 high burden TB countries. The estimated TB mortality is 45 per 100,000 populations per year. BRAC is the first NGO to sign a MoU with the Government of Bangladesh in 1994 to expand the Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) services nationwide. Along with the government, BRAC is the principal recipient of Global Fund to Fight AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) to strengthen health system and expand DOTs across Bangladesh. BRAC and 42 other NGOs are implementing TB interventions in partnership with the government. AMIC –DAM as one of the implementing partner is delivering the TB service in Dhaka North City Corporation area. AMIC –DAM has been working in this program since 2013 and from this year the program has started new name new project title is ” reduction of TB prevalence by 6% by 2017 “.Under this project the major services are- 1. Do register TB patient000000000 and give daily medicine dose to the registered patients, 2.Conduct awareness program- a)Conduct Meeting with Community /Opinion /Religious Leaders, b)Conduct orientation with Non-Graduate Pharmacist (PPs) c) Conduct orientation with Cured TB Patient 3.Hospital /Clinic and private Doctor visit ,TB symptom patient refer for examine cough, 4. Participate in performance review meeting arrange by government & private organization.

07.Hena Ahmed Hospital and Diagnostics Center
With long experience on health care program and under Hena Ahmed’s co –operation recently AMIC-Dhaka Ahsania Mission’s established “Hena Ahmed Hospital and Diagnostics Center” in Munshigonj district. AMIC is operating this hospital from 23rd May 2016.Our aim is to provide better and develop quality health care in reasonable price to general people. This general hospital is 20 beds set up with out patient’s services and well equipped diagnosis services.
Under this Hena Ahmed Hospital and Diagnostics Center, we are providing this following services:

• Maternal health care – Regular Maternal Check-Up (By Consulted), Reproductive Health Care Treatment and Advice.
• Normal Delivery and Caesarian Delivery (With Medicine)
• M.R and D.N.C
• Family planning services
• Neonatal and child health care
• Adolescent Health care
• RTI/STI
• Advice on HIV and AIDS related disease.
• General Health Care
• Diagnostics service.
• Emergency transportation service.

08. Immunization Platform of Civil Society in Bangladesh (IPCSB):
Bangladesh is a leading country in immunization coverage and activity. Yet there is considerable deficit in valid dose of immunization and challenge for sustainable high level coverage, Therefore a civil society of NGOs would be working alongside the MOH& FW, EPI and MOLGRD activity. Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) with the support of Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization (GAVI) & Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has established a Civil Society NGO Platform called ‘Immunization Platform of Civil Society in Bangladesh (IPCSB)’. The objective of this platform is to strengthen the health systems of the Government of Bangladesh in achieving excellence of immunization with NGOs who are engaged in immunization work. This platforms mission is “Increase immunization coverage in area of low coverage, increased effort of CSO members, mass awareness, training program for immunization service provider, research, Knowledge sharing, policy implementation and advocacy”. And vision is “Have the highest level of immunization coverage in Bangladesh in the joint effort with the Government of Bangladesh and the Civil Society Organization (CSO) platform”. The Launching Ceremony of “Immunization Platform of Civil Society in Bangladesh (IPCSB)” was held 7 December 2014.12 reputed organization are member of this platform secretariat organization is CSO-Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) and others organization are there are BRAC, DAM, BAPSA, RADDA, UTPS, CWDF, Nari Moitree, KMSS, BAMANEH, PSTC and Shwanirvhar Bangladesh.

The activities of this platform are-

• General Meetings with the platform.
• Conduct Community Level Campaign
• Training on Media Communication
• Technical Committee Meeting.
• Network News Letter Printing
• Celebration World Immunization Week.
• Media Events to promote Immunization.
• Dissemination of the research findings