Shushastho (BRAC Health Centre)

Static health centers or Shushasthos were opened in 1995 to serve as a back up to community-based health interventions. The Shushasthos aim to develop a financially and programmatically sustainable model in order to provide clinical services for complicated cases identified in the community. Additionally, the Shushasthos play a role in improving maternal health status by aiding deliveries in high risk birthing situations. Shushasthos are equipped with outpatient and in-patient services, laboratory facilities, essential drugs, and behavior change communications materials and equipment. One upgraded center in each district handles more complex clinical scenarios and emergency obstetric care.

BRAC Limb and Brace Centre (BLBC)

The BLBC was established in 2000 to provide support to the physically disabled. The centre offers prosthetic (artificial limb) and orthodoctic (braces) services, as well as physiotherapy service, which was introduced in 2001. The aim of the centre is to provide low-cost quality devices and services to the disabled people of Bangladesh, with an emphasis on the poor.

To operationalise and develop this project, BRAC has been working in cooperation with Santakba Durlabhgi Memorial Hospital (SDMH), Jaipur, India a sepcialised pro-poor health services nstitution. Since 2001, the International Committee of the Red Cross Special Fund for the Disabled (ICRC-SFD) has been providing artificial limbs and braces, as well as technical support and machinery. The BLBC is also financed by the Jaipur Limb Campaign (JLC) UK, part of this support includes funding for Jaipur prosthetic technology. There are two satellite Limb and Brace Fitting centres in Chittaging and Rangpur.