CURRENT PROGRAMS OF IFB : IFB is currently operating three major projects that are aimed directly towards prevention and cure of disability. 

The aim of this Floating Hospital project is to provide health services in general, and specialized curative services in particular in the form of clinical or surgical services and to address the problem of disability in the remote riverine areas and off shore islands of the country for the benefit of the poorer section of the society.

Since inception till May, 2006, Impact Jibon Tari have completed 31 projects (each project's duration is 3 months); provided primary health care service to a total number of 1,96,359 people. 16,736  patients underwent surgeries including Orthopedics, Plastic surgery, Eye and ENT. 34,082 different types of pathological tests were done.  X-ray of 7,088 patients were  done. 7983 patients had Intra Ocular Lenses (IOL) implanted in their eyes during Cataract surgery. 2791 patients received physiotherapy treatment.  1,42,835 people received health information on prevention of disability.  731 TBAs received training on antenatal care, post natal care and safe motherhood.  734  NGO workers, Schoolteachers and  Community leaders received training on nutrition and their relationship with disability. Thus, through Jibon Tari, Impact Bangladesh is successfully fulfilling its prime mandate- Prevention and Cure of Disability.

The pontoon based hospital boat with own power generating unit but without self-propulsion engine has two decks with a total length of 40 meters and about 10 meters breadth. It has an air-conditioned operating theatre with 3-bedded postoperative room, 12 bedded in-patient ward, one x-ray and one laboratory together with accommodation facilities for doctors, nurses, visiting volunteer surgeons and other supporting staff. 

The boat carries a tent capable of accommodating up to 150 out patients in places where appropriate accommodation facilities are not available. To move it from place to place, a tugboat is used. The vessel is capable of being anchored or moored at a riverside with a permanent mooring facility. The hull and the superstructure of the vessel have been constructed with steel in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Inland Shipping Ordinance of Bangladesh and the Lloyds Register of Shipping Inland Rules and Regulation.

The first deck is divided into two parts by a transverse gangway. The frontage has the patient's ward including a nursing station. The in-patient ward   has twelve beds and the ward is divided into male and female wards. Administration and paramedical staff cabins are located at the bow end together with various storerooms. The aft part includes the Operating Theatre (OT), a Preparation area, and a small store. A sterilizing room, post-operative recovery room with 3 beds; doctors/nurses changing rooms are adjacent to the OT. The OT measuring 12m X 4m has three operating tables.

and Meherpur. IMCHC has been implementing its activities in Chuadanga - one of the poverty stricken districts in the southwestern region of Bangladesh. Since April 2002, IMCHC has made the following interventions:

Primary health care - 1,00,562 patients were seen and given general treatment.

Surgical services for correction of disability - 2,462 surgeries were performed. Of these, 1,501 eye surgeries, 159 ENT surgeries, 211 orthopedic surgeries, 393 general surgeries, and 198 cleft lip surgeries were done.

Physiotherapy treatment - 3,636 patients received physiotherapy treatment.

Health education - 1,42,835 people received health information on prevention of disability.

Training for Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) - 900 TBAs received training on antenatal care, post natal care and safe motherhood.

Training on early detection of disability for NGO workers, Schoolteachers, Community leaders and religious leaders - 734 target people received training on the causes and prevention of disability. 

Eye sight testing - sight of 3087 school student's were tested  for refractive error.

Home gardens - 4500 home gardens developed with the objective of supplying yearlong nutrition for the rural community and also to generate supplementary income.

Immunization -   3,219 children and pregnant women were immunized against Polio, whooping cough, Measles, Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Typhoid. .

Assistive devices - 554 assistive devices were distributed among the physically disabled people.

“Sir John Wilson Assistive Device Centre”, is a component of IMCHC under the auspices of Impact Chuadanga programme. The aim of this project is to ensure movement of the physically challenged   poor patients, suffering from orthopedic ailment through providing assistive devices and physiotherapy services. The center consists of two sections, one is the workshop manuactures assistive device, and the other is a well-equipped   physiotherapy center.

"Comprehensive Programme For Prevention and Cure Of Avoidable Disability in Meherpur District"
 

Impact Foundation Bangladesh has been implementing this comprehensive programme in Meherpur District, adjacent to Chuadanga since October 2004. The programme has been designed as a replication of activities implemented at Chuadanga.  The poverty situation of Meherpur is similar to that of Chuadanga and other impoverished districts of southwestern part of Bangladesh.

6,000 poor families have been selected to become project beneficiaries. The activities being implemented are Health and nutrition education, Training of the TBAs, Immunization, Home gardening, Primary health care, Pre and post natal care, Emergency medical services, Curative service to reduce avoidable disabilities etc.
 

The Out Patient Department is providing clinical treatment 6 days a week. Patients selected for surgical intervention under this project are being referred to IMCHC at Chuadanga.

A three-storied hospital is under construction, which is located on the outskirt of the district town- Meherpur.

All these projects are running successfully. Through these projects, IFB is fulfilling its commitment to fight disability among the poor and vulnerable people living in remote regions of Bangladesh.