SNV organizes Partners Meeting in Dhaka

Washim Mia, Staff Correspondent: SNV Netherlands Development Organization Bangladesh organized a ‘Partners Meeting’ in Dhaka yesterday, 11^th of April 2018. The meeting focused on the “Facilitating Access to Health for Factory Workers through an Insurance System”. A total of 12 partners including 5 RMG factories, 4 hospitals, 2 insurance companies and SNV itself participated in the meeting.

The meeting started with the welcome speech from Ms. Farhtheeba Rahat Khan, Team Leader, Working with Women (WwW)- Phase II. She presented an overview of SNV in Bangladesh and about the project WwW-II.  

Mr. Khaled Ahmed, Senior Policy and SRHR Expert, WwW-II discussed on the overall activities and progress as of now by the service providers showing a projecting presentation followed by an open discussion. Delegates coming from Centre for Woman and Child Health (CWCH), Chandra Apollo Clinic, Al-Hera Hospital, Mawna City Hospital, Pragati Life Insurance Ltd., Alpha Islami Life Insurance Ltd. took part in it.

Then a study findings titled “Fine Tune of Health Insurance Model” was discussed jointly by Dr. Syed Abdul Hamid, Professor & Director, Institute of Health Economics, DU and Mr. Jamal Uddin, Inclusive Business Advisor, WwW-II. Here different issues-ways, barriers, insurance shemes and  relating to workers health and welfare have been identified.

On the following session, Mr. Jamal discussed about the future plan of working along with the partners for this Health Insurance Pilot Project. He emphasised on the transparency and reposed responsibilities to all the partner factories, hospitals and life insurance companies to serve the best as they can for the development of the workers’ health status, upgradation of their life-style and to contribute for the country’s RMG sector as a whole.

The meeting came to an end with the closing comments from Ms. Farhtheeba Rahat Khan. She requested to all the attendees to work together for the time to come.