It is one of the fundamental rights of the people to have the health services for them. But the rural poor people can not afford the high expenditure of health services from their inadequate income.

It becomes beyond the capacity of the poor people to bear the expenditure of their livelihood along with their health services. In 1995, 16 pregnant mothers associated with SSS activities died of delivery complications which inspired SSS to start health program for the people especially for the rural poor women.

In this situation SSS began the health program in January, 1996 with the aim in view to reach the effective and sustainable health services program to the door-step of the general mass and to bring a positive and substantial change in the livelihood of the people.

Within the year 1996 a 20-bedded hospital was established in a rented two-storied house at Tangail Town with the financial assistance from staff-members of SSS (Who donated the salary of 7 days) and some social generous people. A 52-bedded hospital has been established with joint collaboration and financial assistance of TdH-Netherlands in January, 2004 in a four-storied suitable building. SSS hospital is one of the renowned health services institutions with modern facilities in the private sector.

Objective
Ensure preventive and curative health services with subsidized cost for the poor and disadvantaged people especially associated with the SSS activities as its beneficiaries.

Working Area
The health program of SSS has been extended in 531 Villages of 83 Unions under 6 Upazilas (sub-districts) of Tangail District.

Beneficiaries

Members:
Organized members of samities, sex workers, slum-dwellers, ethnic minority group of people, working children, domestic children, children and their parents engaged in Bidi Factory, Poor, Hard-core poor and well off families of rural and urban areas.

Staff:
Every staff-member with all family members.

Others:
All those who are not the members of SSS.


Strategy of Services:
SSS has been providing health services for the people of 6 (six) Upazilas of Tangail district establishing one hospital in the urban area and 16 static clinics in the rural area. The beneficiaries are to purchase a health card for Tk. 20.00 to get the health services.

The SSS health care services are open for both the Samity members (beneficiaries) and others in the community subject to registration with its program at a fee of Tk. 30.00 for SSS members and Tk. 50.00 for non-members. Besides, the beneficiaries of various projects are provided with medical consultancy and medicines from free of cost. At present there are 43,335 cardholders under the SSS health program out of which 34,032 are from the samities, 1193 are staff-members and 8,110 are outsiders.

It is worth mentioning here that the entire income earned from the hospital is utilized for the hospital development.

Awareness raising among the beneficiaries on general health, hygiene, nutrition, sanitation, safe drinking water, causes of common diseases and STD/HIV as well as the basic issues of reproductive health and child care is also important component of the health program of SSS. This is done to promote good health and to avoid waterborne diseases. Those who have no tube wells on their homesteads are provided credit support for tube-well installation.

Since 1994 SSS has undertaken the “Sanitary Latrine Promotion Program”. Beneficiaries who have no latrines at their residences are being supplied with all necessary materials for installation of sanitary latrine. Financial support for this purpose is also provided through credit.