Quasem Foundation Projects:
Alekjan Maternity and Child Welfare Center
The original project of Quasem Foundation, Alekjan Maternity and Child Welfare Center began its activities in 1958: providing medical treatment to impoverished expecting mothers and extending care to their children; the center also actively engages in promoting family planning initiatives to people in rural areas. The center, located in Ulipur on a modest but adequate 45,000 square foot property, boasts a 15 bed hospital, a child delivery room and a modern operation theatre in which cesareans and other emergency procedures can be carried out; the center is also equipped with state-of-the-art incubators for the treatment of premature or otherwise unhealthy infants. The Alekjan Maternity and Child Welfare currently provide the following services to its patients: pre-natal care, delivery, post-delivery care, gene and obstetric treatment as well as vaccinations. In 2008, to address the lack of basic healthcare in Ulipur, the center established a small diagnostics clinic. The Diagnostic center provides pathological test facilities for blood, urine and stool as well as facilities to perform ECG’s and ultra-sonograms; seeing between 40 and 50 patients per day. Marium Eye Hospital:
Established in 1994, the Marium Eye Hospital is the largest and flagship project of Quasem Foundation. Since its foundation, the Marium Eye Hospital has been working with the Royal Commonwealth Society for Blind (RCSB) and Sightsavers to provide "Comprehensive Eye Care" (CEC) and "Community Based Rehabilitation" (CBR) to its target population. Lack of health care resources, poor nutrition and various diseases contribute to high rate of blindness in Bangladesh. Through its various initiatives, Quasem Foundation has been an organization at the forefront in the battle against eye-related health issues in Bangladesh and stands as a beacon of outstanding service, success and dedication. The aim of the hospital since its establishment has been to eradicate curable blindness amongst the people of Ulipur and Greater Rangpur. The 47,500 square foot premises started with a 50 bed hospital, which has since been expanded to a 100 bed hospital and is equipped to perform a number of eye-related medical procedures. Currently, the hospital provides treatment to about 350 outpatients per day, with more serious patients referred to on-site specialists for further treatment, the hospital also provides avenues of support for those they cannot treat internally. On an average, Marium Eye Hospital performs 35-40 cataract’s as well as around 10 other types of eye operations per day. Additionally, we provide refraction services and spectacles for about 100 patients per day. The efforts of Marium Eye Hospital extend far beyond the borders of Ulipur, patients come from all over Northern Bangladesh and sometimes from even further away to take advantage of the services we provide. In order to extend such services, Quasem Foundation has opened a small 20-bed hospital in nearby Saidpur, the facility carries out basic operations and started its operations in 2011. The foundation also operates 5 (five) additional Outdoor Treatment Centers in Rangpur, Gaibandha, Nageshwari, Bhurangamari and Lalmonirhat. These centers are able to provide basic services and are equipped to transfer patients to the central facility in Ulipur should it be needed. To assist with this, Quasem Foundation runs a number of ambulances and even a mobile hospital unit. Marium Eye Hospital carries a highly trained staff of over 100 people; among them are 2 consultants, 2 surgeons, 8 other medical officers and 5 refractionists. Marium Eye Hospital actively facilitates the training and development of the medical professionals on staff: Surgeons receive training at a facility in India run by American NGO the Seva Foundation and Islamia Eye Hospital in Dhaka.
