First Covid-19 isolation center at Rohingya Camp

CARE Bangladesh opened a 40-bed isolation center in Rohingya Camp No 4 Extension at Cox's Bazar to treat and support the Rohingya community with mild to severe Covid-19 symptoms.

The center has facilities of separate dormitories, washrooms and bathing spaces for male and female patients. Doctors, ambulance, medicines, oxygen support, and Covid-19 sample collection services are available persistently. The center, running on solar power, also plans to provide three meals a day to all patients.

At the opening event, Bangladesh Government’s Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Shah Rezwan Hayat appreciated CARE Bangladesh endeavour for establishing such a center within such a short time that is complete with gender-sensitive features. The chief guest said: “We should fight Covid-19 together. CARE Bangladesh has worked hard to set up this isolation centre.”

Md Mahfuzar Rahman, camp-in-charge of Camp No 4 Extension, and Dr Abu Toha MRH Bhuiyan, health coordinator of RRRC, were also present as special guests. They urged CARE Bangladesh to ensure round the clock services in the newly completed isolation center in coordination with Site Management Service (SMS) and other stakeholders.

Stating the isolation center as an excellent example of the organization’s collaboration with the Bangladesh Government and different stakeholders, Ramesh Singh, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh said: “CARE started their journey in Bangladesh for a long time with good collaboration and cooperation of the government.”

On this note, Ram Das, deputy country director – Humanitarian of CARE Bangladesh mentioned: “From the very beginning, CARE received excellent support from the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner in setting up this isolation center. The need is huge and this is a small contribution from CARE to ease a bit the fight against Covid-19.”

People with mild Covid-19 symptoms will be referred to the center from the various health facilities across the camps. CARE Bangladesh will monitor suspected and mild Covid-19 cases in the isolation centre while moderate and severe cases will be referred to advanced medical facilities for treatment.

Health volunteer Yeasmin, a Rohingya woman living in the camp, said: “The isolation center will be good for us. In the camps, many people live together in small shelters. If any family member is infected by coronavirus, isolating is not possible. The isolation centre will help people stay separately from their families. If we find an infected person, we will refer them to the centre for better treatment.”

Founded in 1945, CARE is a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty with a special focus on working with girls and women. The organisation currently works in over 100 countries. In today’s Bangladesh, CARE started its journey in 1949 and our current programs are focused around Women and Girls’ Empowerment, Health and Nutrition, Extreme Rural Poverty Reduction, and Humanitarian and Resilience. 

Last year, CARE in Bangladesh reached out to 7.7 million people directly and 37.56 million people indirectly with 53 projects/initiatives where 58% of our program participants were women