According to the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), 22,799 tube wells were damaged and approximately 146,243 latrines were fully or partially damaged because of the 2017 monsoon rains in Dinajpur, Kurigram, Sirajganj and Gaibandha. In Sirajganj alone, a total of 1,777 tube wells were completely submerged by floodwaters.

The government together with UNICEF and other WASH Cluster partners have provided humanitarian WASH assistance to affected areas and at present, floodwaters have receded. Nonetheless, due to the magnitude and spread of the damage to WASH facilities, a large portion of the affected population still lacks access to improved sanitation and hygiene facilities. As several latrines in the affected areas were washed away, it has been observed that open defecation has increased. Improving water, sanitation and hygiene in the flood-affected areas continues to be crucial to prevent the outbreak of water and sanitation related diseases, such diarrheal diseases, including cholera.

During and following the severe monsoon floods, normal family care and child protection services were disrupted in affected areas, and thus children and adolescents have been exposed to high risks of insecurity and injuries. For instance, per government estimates, 65 out of the 115 flood deaths were children.

In flood-affected areas, it has been observed that children have often been roaming around on the embankments or streets, exposed to unknown people which increases the risk of sexual abuse and trafficking. Moreover, as many families lost assets, it is believed that children have been sent to nearby urban areas to work. As such, several children have dropped out from school.

Additionally, there is a lack of playgrounds and child friendly activities in flood-affected areas. This is creating a negative impact on the children's mental and physical health, which can result in less self-confidence and self-esteem. Similarly, appropriate mental health and psychosocial support for children in the worst affected areas is not in place.

Based on the report of the District Primary Education Officer (DPEO), a total of 1,672 schools were affected by the floods in Kurigram, Sirajganj, Dinajpur and Gaibandha districts. Thus, numerous schools had to close due to severe infrastructure damages, while others were used as flood shelters. As a result of the large number of people seeking shelter, some of the shelter schools also experienced losses and damage to infrastructure, particularly to water and sanitation facilities, playgrounds and furniture. Moreover, floodwaters also caused damages to roads leading to schools.

In Bangladesh and in the flood affected areas in particular, there is also a lack of school tents and other supplies that could be used to set up temporary learning environments while school reconstruction takes place. At the same time, children have also lost education materials at the household level.

In this way access to education of thousands of children in Northwest Bangladesh has been disrupted. The longer children remain out of school, the higher the chance they will dropout for good and fall victims of child labour or early marriage.

This programme is planned to improve maternal and child health in 27 unions of Kurigram District counting a total estimated population of 707’000 inhabitants.

The operation takes place in 101 Community Clinics and 19 Family Welfare Centers, 2 Tdh Outpatient Departments, 1 Tdh Specialized Nutrition Unit, 2 Upazila Health Complexes and the pediatric and maternity services of the Kurigram District Hospital.
This strategic phase constitutes a new approach for Terre des hommes (Tdh), with a close partnership with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) at its center.

The intervention is planned in a comprehensive manner:

• (i) contributing to improve quantitative and qualitative health services,
• (ii) developing people’s access to health care services and
• (iii) promoting appropriate health practices.

Focus is set on children aged 0-5 years (± 48’000), and pregnant and lactating women (± 17’000) as well as adolescent early married girls.

The strategy will give emphasis on raising awareness and advocacy about health issues, including nutrition, hygiene, protection, disaster risk reduction (DRR), in favor of the targeted vulnerable groups.

The strategy was developed in close collaboration with

• (i) the National Nutrition Services (NNS), which is part of the Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN), and
• (ii) the Revitalization of Community Health Care Initiatives in Bangladesh (RCHCIB) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW); as a support to ensure the implementation of national health policies and guidelines in the targeted areas.

Strong emphasis is given on training and monitoring of health and family welfare workers, in order to strengthen the health system at the community level. Ownership of the community health institutions by the community is promoted through mobilization of Community Groups (CG) and Community Support Groups (CSG), which are already established, but which are not yet active enough. Operating exclusively in the structure of the government strategy will insure the sustainability of the approach.

This programme is planned to improve maternal and child health in 27 unions of Kurigram District counting a total estimated population of 707’000 inhabitants.

The operation takes place in 101 Community Clinics and 19 Family Welfare Centers, 2 Tdh Outpatient Departments, 1 Tdh Specialized Nutrition Unit, 2 Upazila Health Complexes and the pediatric and maternity services of the Kurigram District Hospital.
This strategic phase constitutes a new approach for Terre des hommes (Tdh), with a close partnership with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) at its center.

The intervention is planned in a comprehensive manner:

• (i) contributing to improve quantitative and qualitative health services,
• (ii) developing people’s access to health care services and
• (iii) promoting appropriate health practices.

Focus is set on children aged 0-5 years (± 48’000), and pregnant and lactating women (± 17’000) as well as adolescent early married girls.

The strategy will give emphasis on raising awareness and advocacy about health issues, including nutrition, hygiene, protection, disaster risk reduction (DRR), in favor of the targeted vulnerable groups.

The strategy was developed in close collaboration with

• (i) the National Nutrition Services (NNS), which is part of the Institute of Public Health and Nutrition (IPHN), and
• (ii) the Revitalization of Community Health Care Initiatives in Bangladesh (RCHCIB) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW); as a support to ensure the implementation of national health policies and guidelines in the targeted areas.

Strong emphasis is given on training and monitoring of health and family welfare workers, in order to strengthen the health system at the community level. Ownership of the community health institutions by the community is promoted through mobilization of Community Groups (CG) and Community Support Groups (CSG), which are already established, but which are not yet active enough. Operating exclusively in the structure of the government strategy will insure the sustainability of the approach.

Objective of the project

The objective of the project is that “By the end of 2014, the health and nutrition status of mothers and children below five years of age is improved in three target areas of Kurigram District”.

The outcomes and intermediate outcomes are:

Outcome 1: By the end of 2014, ±4’370 women experience safer motherhood.

- Intermediate Outcome 1.1: ±4’370 pregnant women are followed-up and counseled to access maternal services and entitlements. 

Outcome 2: By the end of 2014, ±18’430 children below age of five are actively protected against wasting and ±1’000 acutely malnourished children below age five have recovered.

 - Intermediate Outcome 2.1: ±18’430 children benefit from an effective community IMCI system.

- Intermediate Outcome 2.2: Children receive timely services, and as per prescribed IMCI protocol in clinical settings. 

- Intermediate Outcome 2.3: 1’000 Children under 5 have recovered from SAM in Tdh’s SNU (estimate based on prevalence, resources and response capacity).