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The disease severely disrupts the normal life of the people and makes them helpless. Illness is even more painful for distressed poor patients. The importance and effectiveness of hospital social work in ensuring that sick people receive their basic right to medical care is immense. Among the various welfare activities conducted under the auspices of the Department of Social Services, ‘Hospital Social Service Activities’ is one of the most important daily activities. Directly involved in the service of the poor, the downtrodden, the helpless and the afflicted. Hospital social service activities help the poor, helpless patients in various mental, family, social, economic and illness issues to increase the mental strength of the patient, bear the cost of treatment, provide various information to the doctor about the patient's disease and cause and help in rehabilitation after treatment.

In Bangladesh, for the first time in 1958, 2 (two) medical social workers were appointed in Dhaka Medical College Hospital on the initiative of the then East Pakistan National Council of Social Welfare. After the establishment of the Directorate of Social Welfare in 1961, the project was expanded to Chittagong and Rajshahi Medical College Hospitals, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital in Dhaka and Chest Disease Hospital. Thus a total of 38 medical social workers were appointed. Then during the third five year plan 12 units were introduced in 12 hospitals of the country and later in 1991, 2 units in Dhaka metropolis, 1 in Khulna city and 33 units in new district headquarters total 36 were introduced in the development sector. As the activities were fruitful, units were started in 8 more hospitals in 1994. At present, the program is being conducted in a total of 108 units in district level government and private hospitals in 64 districts including Dhaka metropolis and in 420 upazila health complexes at upazila level, the total number of which is 528. In order to implement this program, every hospital under the Department of Social Services has a Rogi Kallayan Samitee' ('Patient Welfare Society) registered under the Voluntary Social Welfare Organizations (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961.

Aims and Objectives of Hospital Social Work Program:

  • To know the history of the disease through rapport building with the patient and to enable him to receive treatment and cure the disease through counseling and motivation;
  • Facilitate the recovery of the poor and incapacitated patients by providing assistance in the areas of medicine, diet, blood, medical equipment, travel fares, transportation of corpses and funeral and diagnostic examination costs;
  • Socially rehabilitate abandoned and helpless disadvantaged children and homeless persons in the hospital in accordance with the Children Act, 2013, Nomads and Homeless Persons (Rehabilitation) Act, 2011 and other existing laws;
  • To make the able-bodied person who has been discharged from the hospital self-reliant by involving him in income generating activities;
  • Ensuring the rights of elderly, widowed and abused women and disabled patients by providing priority services and assistance under social security programs;
  • Provide priority services to people with complex diseases including cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis, congenital heart disease, paralyzed stroke, and thalassemia and to receive services under social security programs;
  • Create public awareness on family planning, maternal and child health care and prevention of all types of infectious and complex diseases;
  • As the case may be, communication with the patient's family and inspection of the patient's home, including resolving family problems, strengthening family ties, and assisting in family and community reintegration;