On Sunday, February 25, at 11 a.m., a discussion forum about palliative care was organized with community volunteers in the T Hossain Garden of Bandar Upazila in the Narayanganj District. This conference was arranged by AYAT Education with the goal of inspiring Bandar Upazila volunteers to engage in community-based palliative care activities and to include them in the project’s welfare work under the “Compassionate Narayanganj” initiative.
Project Coordinator of AYAT Education Sumit Banik conducted the meeting and the Field Officer of Compassionate Narayanganj Project Md Hasan Hafizur Rahman, Community Mobilizer Fahim Hossain, Ananna Rahman, Community Volunteer and Journalist Yusuf Ali Pradhan, BD Clean’s Puja Rani Sarkar, SM Bijoy were shared a speech.
Project coordinator Sumit Banik said, ‘If we think of a compassionate society, volunteers are its lifeblood. A compassionate social structure cannot be imagined without them. And if a compassionate social structure is created, we can play a role in improving the quality of life of terminally ill patients in our society. We also believe that through the involvement of volunteers, we will be able to reach more people with our services.”
Field Officer Md. Hasan Hafizur Rahman said in his speech, ‘Volunteers not only stay with the palliative care patients, they are also involved in various types of social service work. Through involvement in all these activities, a positive mindset and social skills are created in them, which is helping to achieve success in his personal and professional life.’
Volunteer and journalist Yusuf Ali Pradhan said, ‘I went to visit the homes of palliative care patients under the Compassionate Narayanganj project, and my thoughts changed completely after visiting them. Just giving a little time, buying a little toy, buying a favorite food, and the pure love and contented smile I saw in return, is not worth expressing in words. I believe, through this work, you will find this kind of peace like me.’
It should be noted that the main objective of the three-year ‘Compassionate Narayanganj’ pilot project is to integrate palliative care into primary health care. To provide necessary treatment to patients suffering from incurable, life-limiting diseases to make the marginal period of their lives free of suffering, pain-free, and safe. Also, the project aims to improve the quality of life of the affected person and his family by reducing physical, mental, social, and spiritual suffering.
After presenting the speech and experience, the volunteers presented their opinions and questions in the open discussion phase. Assistant Field Officer of AYAT Education Ashru Akhter, Bandar Upazila Coordinator of BD Clean Munna Saheb, journalist Saiful Islam, and others were also present in the meeting.
