Project Completion Report
MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 THROUGH COMMUNITY-LED PREVENTION PROGRAM
(Bangladesh)
Under COVID-19 Emergency Response Program of Americares
Financial Supported by: AMERICARES Foundation Inc. Headquarters
Project Implemented by: Ashar Alo, Bangladesh
Project Period: August 2021- January 2022
Report submitted to:
Adam Keehn, Director, Complex Emergencies,
AMERICARES Foundation Inc.
88 Hamilton Avenue, Stamford, Connecticut 06902, USA
Report submitted by:
Abu Abdulla Al Azad,
Executive Director, Ashar Alo,
Devhata, Satkhira
Report submitted on: February 2022
1.1 Background of the Project (as of project design on July 2021)
The COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have spread to Bangladesh on 8th March 2020. Since then, the pandemic has spread day by day over the whole nation and the number of affected people has been increasing. Bangladesh is the second most affected country in South Asia, after India.
The situation as of July 2021 depicted, COVID-19 infections were increasing in Bangladesh, with 6,625 new infections reported on average each day. Bangladesh reported its largest number of new COVID 19 infections since the start of the pandemic last year. Health authorities of the country recorded the highest number of new Covid-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic for the second time in three days. The test positivity rate was the second-highest since the beginning. Only on 30 June 2021, a total of 8800 new cases were identified -that’s 95% of the peak. 28 infections per 100K people reported last seven days. There have been 913,258 infections and 14,503 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began. The situation has exaggerated when new variants of coronavirus evolved - made the second wave on COVID-19 infections[1].
Hospitals in Bangladesh are under pressure, 57 districts are at high risk of increased infections. The rising number of infections has been putting hospitals across the country under extreme pressure. Hospital beds are becoming occupied at an alarming rate. Lockdowns imposed in border districts had made some improvement, but the infection rates are still very high. Army and BGB had been deployed alongside the law enforcement agencies to impose the lockdown. Bangladesh had gone into a strict Covid-19 lockdown on 01 July 2021, with the army and police ordered to stop people from leaving their homes except for emergencies or to buy essentials. The government said the country of 168 million people was seeing an "alarming and dangerous" rise in cases, blamed largely on the highly infectious Delta variant. The authorities warned that the capital Dhaka and port city Chittagong may be next to face the wave of Covid-19 that has been wreaking havoc in the border districts.
More than two-thirds of new virus cases in Dhaka are of the Delta variant, according to a study by the independent Dhaka-based International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research. The first phase ground to a halt when India stopped exporting the AstraZeneca vaccine earlier this year to focus on its own needs. Bangladesh has administered at least 10,101,143 doses of COVID vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs 2 doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 3.1% of the country’s population. During the last week's report, Bangladesh averaged about 1,825 doses administered each day. At that rate, it would take a further 17,869 days to administer enough doses for another 10% of the population
Geographically, Bangladesh consists of eight administrative divisions. Khulna, the southern-western part of Bangladesh is one of them. The COVID-19 situation in Khulna is worsening day by day with new cases. With the fresh fatalities, the total death toll from Covid-19 reached 1,109 in the division. Besides, 1,245 people were found infected with the deadly virus during the 24 hours, taking the total tally to 57,520 in 10 districts of the Khulna division. It may become the next hotspot of infection if health measures are not properly enforced.
Hospitals struggled particularly in areas bordering India where the strain was first detected. Some rural towns recorded infection rates of 70%. A total of 7,082 infected patients had undergone treatment at different designated hospitals. Amid the worsening Covid-19 situation in Khulna, the division in 24 hours till Thursday morning registered its highest-ever fatalities with 39 new deaths. Meanwhile, the district had undergone a strict Covid-19 lockdown with the rest of Bangladesh, with the army and police ordered to stop people from leaving their homes except for emergencies.
Under the above backdrop, AMERICARES funded ASHAR ALO, a local NGO for community-based awareness against COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy, and emergency medical oxygen supply at the community level. Ashar Alo intended to implement a community-based COVID 19 prevention program in 10 locations in the coastal region of the Khulna division, Bangladesh. The need-based project idea was conceived in consultation with the government health authorities, local NGO partners and health workers, and community people. The authorities of the health facilities and managers are encouraged to impart treatment of COVID 19 patients at home unless it is in critical condition. They also encouraged community organizations and volunteers to extend support to those patients and families with counseling, precautions, and advice on where to go if an emergency arises. The health managers of the project locations asked to support more with face masks, gloves, and disinfectants- as they still need for these items are high at the health facility level. The health managers also suggested intensity the community awareness on COVID 19 prevention and support with oxygen at the community level.
1.2 Objectives of the Project
The objectives of the projects are
The Project was commenced on 1st August 2021 with six (6) months from 1st August 2021 to 31 January 2022.
The project was completed within the time and budget.
Title of the Project: The title of the project is " Project Title: Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 through community-led prevention program in Bangladesh”
(1) Reducing mortality and morbidity associated with COVID-19 infections through augmenting emergency medical support.
(2) To lessen the impact of COVID-19 critical patients through supporting oxygen.
(1) To enhance the capacity of the health workers with supporting personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies;
(2) Prevention of COVID-19 through community awareness and
(3) Distribution of Personal protective equipment and medical supplies to the health centers that provide COVID-19 treatment
Project sites are Khulna and Barisal Division in Bangladesh.
Geographically, Bangladesh consists of eight administrative divisions. Khulna, the southern-western part of Bangladesh is one of them. Barisal is the southern-central part of Bangladesh.
Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries of the project are health service providers in different hospitals and communities of Bangladesh.
[1] https://www.dhakatribune.com/health/coronavirus/2021/07/01/35-more-die-of-covid-19-1-245-test-positive-in-khulna-division
|
SL |
Name of district |
|
Name of sub-districts/hotspots |
|
1 |
Satkhira |
1 |
Kaliganj |
|
2 |
Debhata |
||
|
3 |
Shyam Nagar |
||
|
4 |
Ashasuni |
||
|
2 |
Khulna |
5 |
Digholia |
|
3 |
Barisal |
6 |
Wazirpur |
|
4 |
Joshore |
7 |
Sadar |
|
8 |
Bagherpara |
||
|
5 |
Narail |
9 |
Sadar |
|
10 |
Lohagara |
The project was implemented at the community level by a group of trained community workers and volunteers. To implement, 10 work-stations were established and 10 community workers deployed. The community workers distributed PPE to prevent COVID 19 (supplied by Americares) to the concerned health facilities, mobilize the community, create awareness through volunteers (COVID19 Brigade), and supply oxygen cylinders to the critical patients suffering from COVID19 (as referred by the doctors). The oxygen support was supplied and ensured from the community-based COVID19 hub.
Described below the plan and actual operation of this project
|
SL |
Description of operation plan |
Planned |
Actual |
Remarks |
|
1 |
Establishes Community help center |
10 |
10 |
|
|
2 |
Printing leaflet on Covid19 prevention and Oxygen use |
10000 copies |
10000 copies |
|
|
3 |
Banner/signpost for Community Help center |
10 centers |
10 centers |
|
|
4 |
T shirt and Cap for 300 Covid-19 Brigade |
350 PCS |
350 PCS |
|
|
5 |
Number of community awareness meetings at the community level on Covid19 prevention (10 centers x 8 meetings percenter = 80 meetings) |
80 meetings |
80 meetings |
|
|
6 |
Number of participants attended the community awareness meeting (80 meetings x 20 participants =1600 participants) |
1600 participants |
2000 participants |
|
|
7 |
Publicity through miking (2 months) (10 centers x 8 times = 80 times) |
80 meetings |
80 meetings |
|
|
8 |
Orientation of volunteers/Covid-19 Brigade (10 centers x 1 training x 30 volunteers = 300 volunteers) |
300 volunteers |
300 volunteers |
|
|
9 |
Deploy field workers, accountant, and program coordinator |
12 persons |
12 persons |
|
|
10 |
Help for vaccine registration |
|
|
|
|
11 |
Free oxygen refilling |
500 times |
500 times |
|
|
12 |
Payable oxygen refilling |
|
|
|
|
13 |
Distributions of PPE |
10 Centers |
10 Centers |
|
The summary of the manuals was
At first, Ashar Alo received the PPE and Oxygen from XY Trade International then they distributed the items in medical college, district hospital, Upazila health complex, community clinic, union welfare center, social organization, and Ashar Alo established community help centers.
After the distribution of PPE, the program officer of Ashar Alo was monitored for using PPE in different levels of health facilities. Following the total number of PPE items were included:
|
SL |
PPE items |
Unit |
|
1 |
Oxygen Cylinder (20 liters) with trolley and flowmeter and mask |
70 |
|
2 |
Spare nasal cannula and mask |
500 |
|
3 |
Pulse Oximeter |
70 |
|
4 |
Forehead scan, infrared with LCD display with Battery |
70 |
|
5 |
Powder Free/Latex Free Hand gloves |
25,000 |
|
6 |
3PLY Protective Surgical mask |
400,000 |
|
7 |
Liquid Soap (Lifebuoy 250 ml container) Hand wash |
1,000 |
|
8 |
Antiseptic Disinfectant Lysol (975 ml) |
1,000 |
|
9 |
Hand sanitizer 250 ml Hexisol Hand Rub (bottle) at least 60% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol |
1,000 |
|
10 |
PPE for field workers and community volunteers (Face shield) |
350 |
Ashar Alo was deployed 1 Fieldworker for each center for 6 months (01 Aug 2021 to 31 Jan 2022. An agreement will be signed in between the employer and employees. The salary/remuneration of the Program Officer was Tk. 12,500 per month. Ashar Alo was sent salary to field worker account each month. Each Program Officer was also received Tk. 3,300 per month for communication (phone, net, travel to the field, etc.).
The Program Officer conducted risk communication campaigns, establishing contact-tracking and reporting systems, training and managing volunteers, raising awareness related to COVID-19 vaccines to increase uptake, and addressing vaccine hesitancy. The Program Officer has oriented the attendants (and also provide a leaflet diagramming how to inhale oxygen) on how to inhale the oxygen. The Program Officer was be working as a “Corona fighter” and if required will visit the patient's house at the community to orient. The Program Officer was helping online registration for the vaccine receiver and establishing support systems for at-risk persons.
The Program Officer was selected, mobilize and organize 300 COVID -19 brigade (volunteers) from their community, organize orientation for them. The Program Officer was organized community meetings, arrange public announcements on prevention of COVID 19, monitoring and reporting
Ashar Alo was deployed as the 10-program officer for 10 community help centers and 1 accounts officer and 1 project coordinator at the beginning of the project by maintaining organizational recruitment system, and then Ashar Alo was arranged a short-term training for the staff to enhance their ability and working capacity.
At the beginning of the projects established the 10-community help centers on a rental basis at an appropriate location in 4 Districts at 10 Upazila in Bangladesh. This office was considered as a center, from where a program officer operates the activities and supplies the Oxygen cylinder.
Ashar Alo was distributed PPE at 10 Community Help Center in 10 Upazilla for the use of volunteers, program officers, attendants, or relatives of COVID-19 patients when receiving oxygen cylinder and community people in 10 community help centers which were used in the whole project period. Here we give a hierarchy that presented 10 Community Help Centers.
|
SL |
ITEMS |
Quantity per Upazilla |
Number of Upazilla
|
Total Quantity |
|
1 |
Oxygen Cylinder (20 liters) with trolley and flowmeter and mask |
7 |
10 |
70 |
|
2 |
Spare Nasal-canola and mask |
50 |
10 |
500 |
|
3 |
Pulse Oximeter |
7 |
10 |
70 |
|
4 |
Forehead scan, infrared thermometer |
7 |
10 |
70 |
|
5 |
Powder Free/Latex Free Hand gloves |
500 |
10 |
25,000 |
|
6 |
3PLY Protective Surgical mask |
5,000 |
10 |
400,000 |
|
7 |
Liquid Soap (Lifebouy 250 ml container) |
12 |
10 |
1,000 |
|
8 |
Antiseptic Disinfectant Lysol (975 ml) |
12 |
10 |
1,000 |
|
9 |
Hand sanitizer 250 ml Hexisol Hand Rub (bottle) at least 60% ethanol or isopropyl alcohol |
10 |
10 |
1,000 |
|
10 |
PPE for field workers and community volunteers |
35 |
10 |
350 |
Program officer of Ashar Alo selected primarily 40 volunteers in their working area, covering all unions than in special consideration of their working experience, the mentality of voluntary service and finally select 30 volunteers, 50% selected volunteers were female. They are willing to agree to fulfill the following responsibilities with Ashar Alo
Ashar Alo was Organized the 10-orientation training on COVID-19 prevention with volunteers on August 2021 in 10 Upazila.
The training topics are awareness on prevention of COVID 19, how to supply oxygen cylinder to critical patients, use of Oxygen cylinder at home/community, roles of volunteers at the community, registration for vaccination, how to organize awareness meetings at the community,
After the end of the orientation program, Ashar Alo organized the 80-community awareness meeting at the union level at the union Parishad hall room or campus of the union Parishad with engaging volunteers’ group.
The total budget for each meeting is Tk 5,000. You will receive a total amount of TK 40,000 for organizing 8 meetings. The budget is for refreshments and the miscellaneous cost of the meeting. The program coordinator was kept the record for reporting.
Tasks:
community, registration for vaccination, how to create awareness among the community.
In the period of COVID-19 critical situation of Bangladesh, due to lack of hospital bed doctor suggest that get treatment at home. The program officer of the community help center was supplied the Oxygen Cylinder to critical COVID-19 patients in order of a specialist doctor.
The program officer and volunteers of Ashar Alo had to help register eligible people for vaccination, and they also publicity using banners and festoons against vaccine hesitancy.
Help for remove vaccine hesitancy
The program officer and volunteers of Ashar Alo was arranged a public announcement (miking) on
Availability of and assistance for vaccine registration
Ashar Alo has printed 350 T-shirts for the COVID-19 volunteers and distributed them among the volunteers before the volunteer’s orientation program. In this T-shirt, the logo of AMERICARES and Ashar Aol was added.
Ashar Alo has arranged 10 volunteer orientations from August to September 2021 at 10 Upazilla. This program was held in UH&FPO and UNP conference room with including doctor, nurse, UNO, technician, public health expert, and volunteers. The main context of these meetings
The program officer of Ashar Alo was arranged a total of 80 community awareness meetings at every Union level in every Upazilla. The main subject was discussed in that meetings are
In the total project period, we arranged 80 times public announcements in each Upazilla. The main message of the announcement was
The lessons learned from the project are very valuable for Asher Alo. Here are some examples is providing for project learning.
1) From the project we get an important lesson learning that, if we developed strong communication between health service providers and communities, it is very effective for our people and communities to prevent COVID-19. Because at first, we see that general person does not have a proper idea about this pandemic such as they do not know that COVID-19 is a preventive disease.
They believe that COVID-19 comes from God as a punishment's so that it is a non-preventive disease, but when we create awareness about COVID-19 through community awareness meetings then they understood that it is a preventable disease and recover from this disease by maintaining a proper hygienic practice, such as proper handwashing within 30 seconds, maintaining physical distance, wearing mask properly, by avoiding crowded areas, by avoiding handshake, before sneezing covering nose and mouth by tissue or cloths.
2) At first a larger number of community people has a vaccine hesitancy because of their religious prejudices, lack of proper knowledge about vaccination, believes in mickey, the misconception of vaccine functioning in the human body, then our field staff and volunteers removing their misconception and creating proper awareness about vaccine hesitancy by community awareness meeting, distributing leaflets, public announcement and one to one communication about COVID-19.
Regarding this lesson, proper communication is used for effective implementation in this program.
At first, the NGO affairs bureau was approved of FD-7 then Asher Alo informed to get permission by UNO. After getting permission from UNO, was started this project in each Upazilla. In implementing period of this project UNO direct supervised this project and presented it in the orientation program. The program officer of Asher Alo has attended an NGO coordination meeting and reporting every month at the UNO conference room. The certification of this project is approved by UNO after ending this project.
On basis of the current project which was implemented by Ashar Alo titled " Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 through community-led prevention program in Bangladesh”, we include a bunch of recommendations for future project implementation.
To mitigate and the prevention of COVID-19, the continuity of this project is highly effective for our country's people.
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