Chevron Bangladesh has recently provided 15 oxygen concentrators to four local hospitals near its Bibiyana and Moulavi Bazar Gas Plants to meet the immediate needs of patients suffering from hypoxemia, which occurs when levels of oxygen in the blood are lower than normal. Chevron operates and holds a 100 percent interest in two onshore production sharing contracts (PSCs) in Bangladesh covering Block 12 (Bibiyana Field) and Blocks 13 and 14 (Jalalabad and Moulavi Bazar fields). Read: Chevron extends support for setting up training institute in Sylhet The company in a statement said the oxygen concentrators were handed over at socially distanced events recently to  Habiganj Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Jahan who received 10 oxygenators on behalf of the 250-bed District Hospital, Habiganj, and the NabiganjUpazila Health Complex. Meanwhile, UpazilaNirbahi Officer of Bahubal Upazila, Habiganj, Snigdha Talukdar, received two oxygenators on behalf of the BahubalUpazila Health Complex. Finally, three oxygenators were handed over to the Sreemangal Upazila Hospital. External attendees at the various events included Civil Surgeon, Habiganj, Dr. Mustafizur Rahman; Superintendent of the 250-bed District Hospital, Habiganj, Dr. Aminul Haque; Sreemangal’s Health & Family Planning Officer, Dr. Sazzad Hossain Choudhury, all of whom expressed appreciation for Chevron’s timely initiative. Read: Chevron continues scholarship support for local students Representing Chevron among others were Field Corporate Affairs Manager, Imam Hasan Akan; Senior Coordinator, Community Engagement, Murad Ahmed; and Senior Coordinator, Government Affairs & Social Investment, Srinibash Chandra Nath. Like elsewhere across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives and health conditions of communities that reside around Chevron’s gas fields in northeastern Bangladesh, said the Chevron.

The government has taken initiative  to introduce telemedicine service at 16,000 community hospitals across the country and bring 2000 hospitals under digital service, said sate minister for ICT Junayed Ahmed Palak. The junior minister came up with the information while talking at a virtual seminar on ‘Digitalisation of health sector amid Covid pandemic’. READ: 35,000 modern digital labs to be installed to give more access to girls: Palak “The health sector of the country will be digitised fully and every hospital of the country will be operated centrally using technology. The medicine and diagnosis records will be brought under an interoperable system through centralised health management software,” he said. Besides, initiatives will be taken to save the health records  of each citizen of the country in all government and private hospitals, he said adding that a project titled ‘Digital Health For Nation’ involving Tk 1600 crore will be taken to this end . Under a pilot project, 30 health services will be digitalized at Sylhet Osmani Medical College and later the project will be implemented in all district and upazila hospitals, said Palak. He also mentioned that over 60 lakh people have  received telemedicine services in the last 16 months through health service hotline 333 while 98 lakh people have completed their registration to take Covid-19 vaccine through ‘Surokkha’ app. READ: 170,000 schools to be connected with high speed internet by 2030: Palak Dr. ABM Muksudul Alam, Principal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin, vice-chancellor (VC) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Prof. Dr Ismail Khan, Vice Chancellor of Chittagong Medical University, Brig. General Brayan Bankim Haldar, Director of Osmani Medical College and Hospital, Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) joined the seminar.