Monsur Iqbal, Moulvibazar Correspondent
For the first time in the country for senior citizens of sixty plus special medical resorts ‘Leisure’ – Amar Anondo Bhuban .
The resort built in natural landscaped areas of Sreemangal in Moulvibazar is not a traditional one; Rather than staying from one week to thirty years, you can stay in this resort with all the facilities available. Senior citizens Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), this project is being implemented by the Universal Medical College Hospital (former Ayesha Memorial Hospital) and Social Welfare Department under Social Welfare Ministry jointly.
Studies have shown that the average life expectancy of men in Bangladesh is 70 years and the average life expectancy of women is 72 years.
But many of them survived 80 to 90 years. Today, the number of elderly people in the country is more than one and a half times, which is more than seven percent of the total population and the increase in the number of older people is more than the average birth rate.
Number of elderly people increasing every 4 to 41 percent every year. In that series, the number of sixty-two in the country will rise to 20 crores in 2030 and it will be upgraded to 4 crores in 2050. It will increase senescence, physical disabilities and many diseases. Due to the professional occupation of children or the status of exile, both the physical and mental diseases are increasing due to the loneliness of the elderly. In this context, the medical resort is being developed in public and private enterprises.
The organizers said that the quality of the resort will have 100 safe housings, a 50-bed special hospital, open ground, water supply and green complexes. Senior citizens will be able to avail the services as per need. This retirement center can assist in dealing with illness, wounds, dementia or age-related challenges. Only sixty plus elders are allowed to stay here. You can stay for 30 years starting from one week to thirty years. According to the retirement period, the ‘fee’ will be determined.
Speaking on the occasion of ‘retirement’, Chairman of Universal Medical College and Hospital Preeti Chakravorty told Samakal that this initiative was mainly due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Although he himself had a dream to do such a resort. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took initiative when she was in government for the first term in 1996. Preparations were going on for five years before coming to power in the current tenure. In the last 2017 tender, the work was received by Universal Medical College Hospital. Work can be started in March. They are hoping that by the year 2020 the project could end.
Preeti Chakravarti said, it is not a traditional old age or old house. Parents are left for their old age. That’s not the case here. If the elders want anytime between the contract period, they can go anywhere. In this case there will be special arrangements for food. The monetary value of the meal will be determined separately, the amount of food that is not there will not be paid even at the time. There will be separate blocks for men and women. Special cottage will be built for the elderly husband and wife. Readers can read books, walking walkways or gardening halls. Residents’ Residential Medical Resorts Residents
He said, there are specialized medical resorts for the elders but there are other foreign and foreign tourists also can stay there. There will be separate cottage arrangements for that. The resort management team will be committed to provide an integrated, domestic, non-medical and personal care service.
Agreement Signing: On December 4, the agreement was signed between the Universal Medical College Hospital and the Department of Social Services, at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit MP was the chief guest. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan, State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed were the special guests. Gazi Mohammad Nurul Kabir, Director General of the Department of Universal Medical College Hospital, Preity Chakravarti and Director General of Social Welfare Department, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. Social Welfare Secretary Zillar Rahman, PPP’s Chief Executive Syed Afsar H. Uddin, Managing Director of Universal Medical College Hospital Dr. Ashish Kumar Chakraborty also said.