📋 Tender Overview
BANGLADESH
PROJECT DURATION
2019 - 2026
Achieving Sustainability Towards Healthcare Access (ASTHA) aims at contributing to the development and expansion of sustainable and high-quality healthcare at the community level by training young adults (60% women) from twelve rural districts as skilled health workers. The ASTHA-project improves the health and living conditions of the local population and, at the same time, addresses the problem of the high number of un- and underemployed youth in Bangladesh.
ASTHA is currently in its third four-year project phase (2023-2026). The project works in the three areas:
the modernisation and effective promotion of the Community Paramedic course,
establishing private sector driven service offers for Community Paramedics that allow them to improve their business activities and service quality,
fostering a strong engagement from relevant authorities to strengthen and promote the Community Paramedic profession nationwide.
ASTHA Phase III (2023 – 2026) is being implemented in twelve districts of Bangladesh: Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Gaibandha, and Bogura in the north, Sunamganj, Moulovibajar, and Sylhet in the north-east and Barishal, Barguna, and Patuakhali in the south.
Project partners
National and local healthcare authorities
Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council
Community Paramedic Training Institutes
Community Paramedic Association
Technology companies
Business incubation service providers
Financial service providers
Expected Results
Improved healthcare services for people in remote communities
185 000 community members (60% ?) receive high-quality affordable healthcare services from Community Paramedics
Strengthened Community Paramedic training system
30 Community Paramedic training institutes access training modernisation services
1 350 Community Paramedic trainees complete the two-year training (60% ?)
Strengthened Community Paramedic service provision
1 440 Community Paramedics (60% ?) access services that help them establish their business and improve their service offer
As a result, their annual average income increases by CHF 280
This project is financed by Novartis, the Evi Diethelm Winteler Stiftung, and the Laguna Foundation, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.
