LAMB has been working in health and development in Northwest Bangladesh since the mid-1970s.
The hospital treats more than 60,000 out patients per year – nearly 200 per day; nearly 10,000 in-patients per year for surgery or medical treatment; and delivers nearly 4,000 babies per year. In communities around the hospital, LAMB has 28 clinics; including 18 safe delivery units, spread over an area more than 80 km in length. The community activities include not only health related activities, but also community development and disaster preparedness. In addition, LAMB is building capacity in local government health clinics through clinical staff training as well as facilitating community oversight and accountability.
LAMB has now extended its service into provision of high quality training for our own staff as well as government and other NGO health workers. Because of its access to community and hospital health and socio-economic data, we are increasingly called upon to assist in research programs. LAMB now has more than 1000 staff – mostly Bangladeshi, but with approximately 25 foreign staff to bring additional expertise and training capacity.
Despite its growth, LAMB retains its original mission to serve God through serving the poor and underprivileged, particularly women and children. The blend of religions of our patients reflects fairly closely the proportions of the populations of the whole of Bangladesh. We believe that LAMB is increasingly widely recognized for the high quality of its services for the poor, and we would welcome being considered an example.
LAMB AT A GLANCE
Location
LAMB is located in Northwest Bangladesh. The main hospital site is located 2 kilometres west of the town of Parbatipur, about 24 kilometres east of the district city of Dinajpur.
Facilities
At the main site, the key facilities are the
- 150 bed general hospital, with additional facilities for outpatients and other needs
- A residential training centre with 10 classrooms, with facilities for 90 trainees
- Offices for hospitall, centrally based community staff, and support staff
- Residential accommodation for more than 150 members of staff and their families; a Guest House for short term workers and visitors
- English-medium school teaching for staff and local children
Medical needs at this facility:
- General Surgeon
- Family Practice
- Nurse Practitioner
- Anesthesia Providers
- All Medical Specialties needed and are welcome
Our staff often serve as faculty in established training programs and residencies raising up the next generation of health professionals. Others train national staff in less formal environments. Building local capacity is central to the identity of the Christian Health Service Corps, therefore we actively seek out places where we can have a lasting impact by discipling, and training local Christian physicians, nurses and health professionals to serve in their own communities. Short-term volunteers are reviewed and accepted on a case by case basis depending on facility needs and skill sets of the volunteer.