UNHCR donates new outpatient department for in Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital 

A new outpatient department complex for 250 Bed District Hospital in Cox's Bazar, funded by UNHCR, will begin operations following the handover ceremony held Thursday.

"This newly constructed outpatient department has provisions of various healthcare services including modern surgeries, orthopedics, cardiology, dental, and maternal and pediatric care. This will play a crucial role in providing modern healthcare services for the people of Cox's Bazar. I want to thank UNHCR for constructing and equipping this complex with modern equipment," said Health Minster Zahid Maleque. 

UNHCR constructed, equipped and furnished the complex to provide timely lifesaving medical treatment and secondary care to Bangladeshi population and Rohingya refugees, reads a press release.

Services will include comprehensive eye and dental care and various medical and surgical consultations. Modern elevators, firefighting system, and state of the art equipment will help enhance access to healthcare.

"This hospital was built to serve the people of Cox's Bazar for both Bangladeshi population and Rohingya refugees and its surrounding districts. It will strengthen health services and decongest the current facility," announced Yoko Akasaka, UNHCR head of Office in Cox's Bazar, after handing over the keys of the facility to Health Minister Zahid Maleque.

The completion of this facility, which includes 78 rooms across three floors, is a testament to the close working relationship between the Government of Bangladesh and UNHCR, and the collaboration and efforts to improve the lives and wellbeing of the people in Cox's Bazar, both Bangladesh population and Rohingya refugees.

UNHCR has made significant contributions to the district public health care system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNHCR constructed and equipped the first Intensive Care Unit in Cox's Bazar district, located at Sadar Hospital in 2020. This unit, fully supported by UNHCR, had 18 intensive care and high dependency beds, serving critically ill patients from the wider district and provided a referral pathway for Rohingya refugees. UNHCR handed over the facility successfully in December 2021.

From the onset of the Rohingya emergency response in 2017, UNHCR and its partners have been delivering health services for Rohingya refugees, while extending support to the host community. While overall health situation and service delivery have improved, limited access to services, makes it all the more essential to continue strengthening health interventions to address the needs of both refugees and the host community.