Environmental campaign group, Greenpeace International, yesterday donated a vessel to a local NGO, Friendship, to run a floating hospital through it for delivering primary, secondary and emergency healthcare to the vulnerable people in the coastal area of the country.
The Greenpeace authorities handed over the vessel "Rongdhonu" earlier known as Rainbow Warrior II, at a function in Singapore. This vessel is expected to reach the Chittagong port by September, says a press release.
Rongdhonu through its floating hospital will enable Friendship to provide health care to the most vulnerable and marginalised population of the country who are experiencing the effects of climate change along the coastal belt, it said.
Friendship has been working in Bangladesh for a decade, specially for the community of isolated chars and cyclone-affected areas of the country. Friendship started their journey with the Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital in 2001, the country's first floating hospital.
Programme Manager of Friendship Enamul Hoque told The Daily Stat that the floating hospital would work mainly in the districts of Barisal and Khulna division. A numbers of satellite team will also work with boats where the ship cannot reach to the people due to lack of proper channel.
Addressing the ceremony, Runa Khan, executive director of Friendship Bangladesh, said Rongdhonu would bring relief during natural disasters and help ease the physical sufferings and pains amongst communities, which have no access to healthcare.
Mike Fincken, captain of the vessel, said this ship has carried people from around the world and has stood as an icon of hope over pessimism and as an emblem of action over complacency; it is time to pass that task on.
Source : The Daily Star
