SNV further attempts to increase 20000 RMG workers’ Health Status

Washim Mia, Staff Correspondent: SNV Netherlands Development Organization further attempts to increase at least 20,000 garment workers’ health status by providing health care services to them under the ‘Health Insurance Pilot Project for RMG Workers in Bangladesh” project. For this SNV organized a contract signing ceremony between Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) and Mashihata Sweaters Limited at CCDB Training Center, Savar today, 5 February 2018. This project is being implemented with the financial assistance from Weave our Future (WoF).

In July 2017, SNV and Weave our Future (WoF) Foundation (the foundation of Auchan -a large French Retailer) have joined hands to implement health insurance program in the garment sector. Under this program, SNV is providing technical assistance to Gonoshasthaya Kendra, a national health care providing NGO in implementing the program to ensure health care services for the garment workers of targeted factories and where RTM international is providing monitoring and evaluation support. They are jointly engaging and sensitizing factories to provide a healthy living for their workers. The contract signing ceremony on 5 February 2018 is a result of these engagements.

All the parties have joined together to ensure better sexual and reproductive health and make the basic and secondary health services available, accessible and affordable for the workers to improve their health status and productivity.

Fartheeba Rahat Khan, Team Leader, SNV Netherlands Development Organization welcomed all guests and participants. She highlighted SNV initiatives for RMG sector for the worker health and well-being since 2014. She mentioned, “Today another milestones is achieved through the signing with Mashihata Sweaters Ltd. with GK”.

The event presented by Mr. Jamal Uddin, Inclusive Business Advisor, SNV, was attended by the respected and distinguished guests. Among them, Mr. Ashraful Islam, Director- Mashihata Sweaters Ltd., Dr. Rezaul Haque, Senior Director-Health & Training and Assistant Professor- Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College, GK, Mr. Sarat Saha, Senior Manager (Admin)- Mashihata Sweaters Ltd, Mr. Mizanur Rahman, Chairman- Savar Hospital, GK, Mr. Nazmul Hosen, Managing Director- Chandra Apollo Clinic, Mr. Rajib Munshi, Head of Finance & Accounts- Health program & Training, GK, Ms. Amandine Furst, Project Manager- Weave our Future(WoF), RTM International representative Mr. Mahbub-ul-Alam and representatives from different print and electronic media were present at the contract signing ceremony.    

Ms. Amandine Furst, Project Manager- Weave our Future (WoF) said, “I am very pleased to be here in this contract signing between GK and Mashihata Sweaters Ltd. The RMG sector, the major earner of foreign currencies in Bangladesh, has more than 4 million workers of which majority are female. I want to thank both parties to respond and come forward to be a part of this program to ensure health security of the factory workers of Mashihata Sweaters Ltd. These workers often carry misconceptions of sexual and reproductive health and thus they are not fully committed to their workplace. We have a target of 20,000 workers to be served under this pilot project till January 2022”.

Thanking to SNV for organizing such deal with GK,  Mr. Ashraful Islam, Director- Mashihata Sweaters Ltd said, “Ours is one of the leading factories of Bangladesh. To provide a proper health and safety security, we are on this health Insurance scheme which will come into play for the welfare of the workers as a whole. We are very pleased to get GK with us. We are signing this deal for for the betterment of 6,700 workers’ of our factory. Besides, GK’s branch one being very near, the workers are to get extra benefits I hope”.

“We are jointly working with SNV, Auchan and RTM as a team to ensure health and safety issue for the factory workers. Now, we have got another, Mashihata Sweaters Ltd. We welcome them to extend their hand. GK is a non-profit organization which will provide medical services to Mashihata’s workers till 2022 which will be fruitful to increase their productivity”, said Dr. Rezaul Haque in his address.

Then, Mr. Ashraful Islam, Director- Mashihata Sweaters Ltd and Dr. Rezaul Haque, Senior Director-Health & Training and Assistant Professor- Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College signed the contract on behalf of Mashihata Sweaters Ltd. and Gonoshasthaya Kendra respectively.    

The initiatives taken for the health and well-being for the factory workers are highly appreciated by the audience.