Grameen Kaylan

Hospital bed at Grameen Kaylan. 

Grameen Kaylan (Healthcare) is a sister company of Grameen Bank that provides affordable medical care to Grameen members, their families, and others who live in the area. Healthcare clinics are located throughout the country – especially in areas where there are several bank branches. The office I visited today consisted of an open waiting room, a physician’s office, a small pharmacy and lab, and 2 rooms filled with hospital beds for the sick. The office provided basic healthcare services for the people living within 10 square kilometers. If there was a more complicated medical problem than the clinic could handle, the patient was sent to the nearest hospital (about an hour away). Complicated deliveries, for example, were always sent to the hospital as soon as the complication was identified.

Birthing Center! Check out the bucket
at the end of the table. 

 The healthcare fees are very affordable and Grameen Kaylan offers an insurance program for both members and non-members. Grameen Bank members pay only 200 taka ($2.85) and non-members pay only 300 taka ($4.29) a year for access to the healthcare facility. This insurance program covers up to six family members and with the plan an office visit costs only 20 taka (29 cents). Although the facility doesn’t handle complex medical issues, it does make a huge difference in the everyday lives of the villagers. 

Pharmacy and lab area. 

 While I was there, a young boy around 6 years old came in with his mother. He had been playing outside with his friends and had fallen and hit his head. He had a one-inch gash above his eye that needed to be stitched up and a possible concussion. Without this small medical facility, the boy would not have had been properly stitched up and would not have had access to any antibiotics if needed for infection.