Independent University, Bangladesh

Live-In-Field Experience (LFE-201)
Spring 2012
Venue: Rural Development Academy, Bogra

Topic: Health and Medical Service
Submitted by,
Name: Md. Badi-Uz-Zaman
ID: 0920449
Group: 20
Submission Date

14 march 2012

School of Business

Letter of Transmittal

Dear Sir

I am pleased to present you the LFE report for “Spring 2012”. It includes all the findings and observation throughout the whole study of Uttar Maria, Thana Sherpur, and District Bogra.
This report is provided as required for the fulfillment of this course.

Yours Sincerely

Mr. Badi-Uz-Zaman
ID: 0920449
March 14, 2012

Acknowledgement
At first, we would like to thank the Almighty Allah for giving us the patience and the ability to work hard. The success of this report depends on the contribution of a number of people, especially those who take the time to share their thoughtful guidance and suggestions to improve this report.
I would like to thank Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) for having such a wonderful and unique course through which I got the chance to learn and experience about the rural
Bangladesh. For making this program a successful one, I would like to thank Prof. M, Omar
Rahman (Vice Chancellor of IUB) for his excellence support. We are thankful to our faculty members-Haroonuzzaman and Dr. Towhid Bin Muzaffar who were very helpful throughout the LFE. Their encouragement; guidance and support from first day to the final day enable us to develop an understanding of the subject.
We are thankful to all persons who were there with us, our faculty members and teachers from RDA. We are also thankful that, we got some help from the villagers of Uttar Maria.
Lastly, we offer our regards and blessings to all of those who supported us in any aspect during the completion of the project.
A thank goes to all the students of LFE spring 2012, who have made the LFE a sweet memory. A special thank to my group members for putting a tremendous amount of effort to make this report a success.

Table of Content

1.1

Topics
Introduction
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Page
1-3
2

1.2

METHODOLOGY

2

1.3

LIMITATIONS

3

Serial
1.0

2.0
2.1
2.2
3.0
3.1

The Journey
Our Group
At the Bogra
Environmental health
Health services
ENVIRONMENTAL
POLLUTION

4
4
4 and 5-8
5

3.2

6

3.3

Sanitation

6

3.4
4.0
5.0

SOURCES OF WATER

Health services consciousness of people
Major Findings
Conclusion
Reference

and 7
9
11
12

1.0 Introduction
Live-in-Field Experience (LFE) is a unique course only offered by Independent University,
Bangladesh (IUB). LFE allowed us to get familiarize with the socio-economic realism of rural life. This study of the village is necessary to shed off all our confusions about the life of the majority

of

the

people

of

our

country.

We did this program on Spring2012, under the faculty members-Haroonuzzaman and Dr.
Towhid Bin Muzaffar. It was very significant for us as it was different from other groups. We were assigned to a village named Uttar Maria in Bogra district. For our benefit my group member Atonu had drawn a map of Uttar Maria which is included below:

1.1.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to find out the real picture of the village to get an overview of economic and the health and medical facilities available in the village as we had to work on the topic of health services.

1.2.

METHODOLOGY

Methodology is the procedure of collecting data. We were a total of around 72 students divided into 36 groups and was sent to three different villages named Demajani, uttar maria dokhin maria We have carried out our survey in Uttar Maria under the village Union
Shahjahanpur , Thana & District Bogra. We had studied the village to collect the required, both primary and secondary data for around 12 days. However, we have mainly applied two methods for collecting the data: 1) PRA for qualitative data, and 2) Questionnaire Survey for quantitative data. 3) Observation

PARTICIPATORY RURAL APRAISAL (PRA)
PRA stands for Participatory Rural Appraisal. It is a method of collecting information of the particular village. By gathering the village people in a common place like tea stall, During the meeting time, one day we got chance to collect this type of information

QUALITATIVE METHOD
The Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is being mainly used as the qualitative method.
Some open ended questions were also asking question regarding people’s economic condition we also had to collect information about their health. So we surveyed some villagers, doctor and medicine seller and ask question. We had to build rapport with the villagers and asked to help us avail information about their village, etc.

QUANTITATIVE DATA
Some structured and closed ended questions. We were provided by 2 questionnairesHousehold and Adult. Each of us had to fill them via internet by going to 5 individual houses and asking them about different chapters of the questionnaires. Those Were being used to collect information about the demographic variables, health, environmental and the economic condition of the villagers.

Questionnaire: We were provided by 2 questionnaires-Household and Adult. Each of us had to fill them via internet by going to 5 individual houses and asking them about different chapters of the questionnaires.
Survey: Apart from asking question regarding people’s economic condition we also had to collect information about their health. So we surveyed some villagers, doctor and medicine seller and ask question.
Observation: As we had to collect information about the health of Uttar Maria’s people, we went to the local hospital and observe how they treat village people.
Rapport Building: Rapport is a relation of trust between people. If we go to an unfamiliar place, we definitely need some guidance about that place and it’s better to be guided by the people of that place. For that we need to build an empathetic mind connection between the visitors and the residents. In our case, we tried to get familiar with the people of Uttar Maria to build rapport so that they can help us for these days of LFE. We can say, just from the first day we were able to build a good rapport with them.

1.3.

LIMITATIONS

The villagers we visited are very much cooperative, especially the women. We thought that women of the village will not be so supportive, but we were wrong. But still, we faced some limitations while doing our survey.
i)

The main problem we faced is the time limitation. We got a very limited time to complete a comprehensive research. We believe it was not adequate to carry out an extensive research on the assigned topic.

ii)

During our survey and inspection of the village, most male members were out of their house and as a result the quantity of female respondent got higher which may reflect in getting some scattered answer regarding some questions.

iii)

Another problem was the network problem there. As we had to fill up the questionnaires by our mobile set, so it was necessary to get uninterrupted network connection. Sometimes it happened that connection was lost and we had to make the people wait for a while. Though we could tackle those stuffs as day progressed. Therefore, it can be treated as a minor problem to us.

2.0 The Journey
2.1

OUR GROUP

In our journey we were 72 people and we were asked to form a group consist of two people.
Therefore I preferred making group with one of my friends. My group partner was “Atonu” who is a very dedicated person. He is very good in interacting and making a good relationship with the villagers. Which was very helpful for me.

2.2

At the BOGRA

We enjoyed a lot in the bus while we were heading to Bogra. It is one of the most memorable journeys in my life. It was the first time that I saw the Jamuna Bridge from bus which was a great experience and it was also the first time for me that travelled with some of my best friends by bus. It was beyond all happiness.
At the Bogra we stayed at RDA (Rural Development Academy). It is located at 16 kilometer away from Bogra town by the highway towards Dhaka. The Academy campus covers an area of 48.50 hectares of which 19.00 hectares has been apportioned for office, residence, school & college, play ground, children’s park and other establishments. The remaining 29.50 hectares has been earmarked for demonstration farm for undertaking research in farming, horticulture, floriculture, tissue culture, livestock, Poultry etc. The campus has almost all the modern amenities of urban life.

3.0 Environmental

health

and

Health

Services
3.1

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

At Uttar Maria village environment is very healthy as we expected. As we know that pollutions can be of three types mainly- Air pollution, Water pollution and Sound pollution.
Though the amount of pollution can’t be measured but I have tried to give an assumption of the different types of pollution there.
Water: We saw one pond at the village which was very much polluted as people use it to clean the cattle and there was no scope of changing the water. The color of the water was green which indicates how much polluted that was. But we were amazed to know that the village people does not use that water for drinking and dish washing. They only use Tube well water for drinking and the tube well was arsenic free.
Air: In cities air can be polluted by transport or factories. The air of Uttar Maria is quiet fresh. The only reason of air pollution is the types of fuel they use for cooking. There was no brick field or factories nearby. So it can be said that it is not that much polluted.
Sound: I think the region was very peaceful and quiet. Therefore, there is not that much sound pollution except for the noise made by the children.

3.2

SOURCES OF
POND, 4

WATER
All the houses we visited have individual tube-well. So they don’t need to use any

TUBEWELL, 9
6

other sources of water for domestic use.

Figure: Different types of water source
But we noticed a family who also uses pond water for domestic works such as, bathing, washing clothes, cleaning domestic animals etc.

3.3

SANITATION

The region is very developed and most of the families have their own toilets. Most of the people use slab latrines there as from our 10 households

Slab latrine

we got 9 of them used slab latrines. We did not

Septic toilet

get any family who used septic toilet.

FIGURE: Different types of toilets.

We noticed some hanging toilets at Uttar Maria but we didn’t get any family out of our 10 households who used this type of latrine.
In order to give a clear overview of the types of slab latrines they use I have included some of the pictures of the toilets found at Uttar Maria village.

COMMENT: These toilets are just having the slabs only but I don’t think these can be treated as hygienic toilets. I can assure that people like us won’t love to have those at home.

3.4

Health services and consciousness of

people
It was really very good to know that most of the people of Uttar Maria are health conscious.
All the households we visited we found that there was no one who did not wash their hands after toilet. They also rinse their hands properly before taking food. That’s why in the village the rate of illness is very low.

In our survey we did not found any people with severe illness. Some of them had back pain problem, chest problem but these are due to age.
We found one person who was suffering from eye problem. The major concern for Uttar Maria is that they don’t have any hospital or clinic there.
They have one local clinic at Uttar Maria but most of the day that clinic remains closed.

Picture: Local “shashtho kendro” at Uttar
Maria

We met a person at Uttar Maria who is a medicine shop owner near the local clinic and he said as the clinic remains close people comes to him and he check the patient and give them medicine which he thinks is good for them.
Apart from that the people have to go to the “Demajani” village which is about 20 minutes from Uttar Maria. At Demajani there is a government clinic named- ‘Upazilla Shashtho
Clinic’. Only two doctors are available there and one of them doesn’t have any qualified degree as well. So the health care facilities are not very sufficient there and also the environment is not very good for the patients.

We also talked with a patient who came there and told us that they just come to this clinic whenever they are affected with minor diseases. But for major diseases they just go to the
Bogra town where there are some renowned hospitals. We also talked with the doctor who was there on that time about the diseases they find more. He said that Diarrhea, headache and blood pressures are very common on that region.

Family Planning Decisions: In Uttar Maria, most of the decisions are taken by the family’s head. That means most of the times husband of a family takes all the decisions. Sometimes they leave some of the

Chart Title
8%
4%

MALE

decisions (which are minor) on their wives. But major decisions like family planning are taken by husband.

FEMALE
BOTH
88%

Child mortality Due to Child Marriage: In our assigned households, there was a single family where a girl was married under 16 years. But the good thing is that the pregnant wives are treated with a lot of care. So we didn’t experience any child mortality because of child marriage. It is really a very good sign.

4.0 MAJOR FINDINGS
1. There is no such a place where the villagers can through their wastages. So they through their wastages near their houses by making a hole. By throwing their waste here and there, they are making their compound of the households a bit messy and also they are also polluting the air.

Picture: A place where villagers throw their wastages.
2. There are no certified hospitals and clinics in Uttar Maria. The villagers have to get treatment from medicine shop owner. The villagers badly need at least a health clinic there. 3. They are very much health conscious and always love to lead a healthy life. It is really very good and inspiring for all of us.

4. Other than the health issues, in Uttar Maria there is no government schools available.
So children have to go to Demajani for their studies.

Analyzing those findings it can be summarized that Uttar Maria village is not full of all the basic needs for the villagers. At least establishing a health care institution there has become a crying need for the innocent village people.

5.0 CONCLUSION
Some memories remain ever fresh in mind. Live-in- Field Experience is such kind of course where people are bound to make ever fresh memories. Except for the rural memories we also experienced some memories at RDA especially the sports day and at the last night there. We organized a cultural program. I should also mention about the hospitality of the RDA authority. They were very friendly and cordial. I was also amazed at the beauty of RDA. It is really the best place I have ever seen in my life.

THE END.

Reference
1. LFE SERVEY
2. www.rda.gov.bd