Role of NGOs in providing available and affordable health care services to the slum people in Dhaka

Abstract

Background/objectivesHealth services for the slum people of least developed or developing countries are quite unreachable, unavailable and unaffordable to them. The study attempts to demonstrate the role of non-government organizations (NGOs) in providing available and affordable health care services to the slum people in Dhaka with mixed method study. MethodsFace to face interviews conducted among the participants through semis-structured questionnaires by following systematic sampling technique. Four focus group discussions were conducted with people of slum. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS version 23.0 while Braun and Clarke's six steps of thematic analysis were pursued for analyzing qualitative data. ResultsFindings shows that NGOs provided health services to slum people with available and affordable roles. Quantitative results demonstrate that NGOs’ available health services cover with services facilities and regular sources of service providers. EPI, FP and hygienic services with 9.3 % and delivery services and health and nutrition services with 9.2 % become the most available health services of NGOs. Community static providers are the main source (40.5 %) of providing regular health care services for the slum people whereas EPI (25.2 %), blood test (22.1 %) and FP packages (20.0 %) considered the most affordable health services of NGOs. Qualitative findings imply two major themes availability and affordability of health services under where many subthemes are stated. ConclusionsFindings indicate that the NGOs provide available health care services for the slums with EPI, FP, delivery services, health and nutrition services and hygienic programme. Results further imply that availability of health services further has taken place with providing regular sources of services with static clinic and CSP services. Initiative should be taken to make health systems of the country affordable, friendly, and available. Essentials health services can be provided to the slum and hard to reach areas’ people through NGOs health facilities. As NGOs service provision is good so measures should be taken for the continuity of care of the NGOs health services.