Toward a sustainable healthcare service system in a limited resource context: Case study of Bangladesh rural advancement committee’s healthcare system

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this work was to examine a sustainable healthcare service system for a limited resource context. The focus was on the activities of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) in rural and slum areas of Bangladesh. We demonstrate how BRAC develops and efficiently utilizes human resources in its healthcare system and how healthcare knowledge is transferred in the system for local patients’ wellbeing in a limited resource context. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 50 health workers and 24 of their supervisors and then analyzed using a co-occurrence network to identify potential relationships between clusters in the written text. We found that BRAC uses a micro-credit system to support the provision of motivated healthcare workers in rural and slum areas. The workers share healthcare knowledge with the residents and earn money by selling them medicine. BRAC also transfers basic healthcare knowledge to community health workers and local patients through training sessions and mobile health implementation. The system discussed in this work is an effective means to develop healthcare service policies in a limited resource context.