To tackle the growing number of Rohingya refugees seeking asylum in Bangladesh, AMDA Headquarters has launched a year-long relief initiative with AMDA Bangladesh and Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital (JBFH). In October, the joint team had already started providing free medical services in Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar. Despite there was no sign of infectious disease outbreak, dermatitis and STDs seemed to have been on the rise in accordance with the growing refugee population (a total of 640,000, according to UNOCHA (27/11/2017).)
On 11 December 2017, one medical volunteer (pediatrician) was sent to Bangladesh from AMDA Headquarters in Japan. He is scheduled to join the ground team on the 13th and work at the aforementioned clinic which sees around 100 patients daily. The personnel hopes to improve the sanitary condition in the camp while helping those who are mostly suffering from common cold, diarrhea and skin ailments.
The Rohingya problem has escalated since late August this year in which, adding together 200,000 Rohingyas that had long sought refuge in Bangladesh, their total number has risen to be 840,000.
Now that the relief has grown into a full-scale initiative, AMDA hopes to continue providing coherent assistance in the long run.