Bangladesh

Nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees have sought refuge in Bangladesh after fleeing targeted violence in Myanmar.

In Bangladesh, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provides healthcare for Rohingya refugees who have fled persecution in Myanmar. In 2022, we also supported responses to flooding and outbreaks of diarrhoea. 

Across 10 facilities in Cox’s Bazar  , our teams run a range of services to address some of the vast health needs of almost one million Rohingya refugees living in camps, as well as a growing number of patients from the host community. Activities include general healthcare, treatment for chronic diseases, psychosocial support and women’s healthcare.

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Rohingya family walking through Cox's Bazar refugee camps. © Victor Caringal/MSF

Situation overview

Cox’s Bazar district in Bangladesh has hosted Rohingya refugees fleeing targeted violence in neighbouring Myanmar's Rakhine state since 1978. The latest violence, which began in August 2017, has provoked an unprecedented exodus, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to live in camps with deteriorating conditions.

In recent years, scabies cases among Rohingya refugees have significantly increased, with a large-scale outbreak affecting up to 40 per cent of the population and even higher rates in some camps, as reported by a WHO survey. This is happening as people struggle with reduced humanitarian aid, with just $8 per person per month for food, and inadequate access to water, sanitation, and healthcare.

“They have no choice but to depend on humanitarian aid. They now only have $8 per person per month for their food and have inadequate access to water, sanitation and healthcare.”

Arunn Jegan
Head of mission in Bangladesh

MSF in Bangladesh

At present, we are providing medical care in two districts: Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar, while working to maintain our regular medical response.

Bangladesh Map 2022
Rohingya refugee crisis

MSF provides basic and specialist healthcare to address some of the immense health needs of Rohingya refugees living in the Cox’s Bazar camps, in a 46-bed hospital and two outpatient clinics and via outreach teams. Our care includes inpatient treatment of intensive care patients, and of patients with scabies and dengue fever during outbreaks of those diseases. 

Occupational health

We run an occupational health program for people living in the Kamrangirchar area of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, many of whom work in small factories where they are exposed, without protection, to dangerous machinery and substances. 

During 2023 we collaborated with the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh to conduct a feasibility study in two metal factories in Kamrangirchar district aimed at improving work safety and reducing injuries, focusing particularly on women and young workers.

Sexual and gender-based violence

Different medical and psychological services are available for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in our facilities in both Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka.

Sexual and reproductive health

Our reproductive health services include antenatal consultations, assistance for deliveries and family planning. In 2023, MSF teams assisted 5,310 deliveries. 

Vaccinations

We're supporting government initiatives to expand routine vaccinations. Staff at all our facilities now have the capacity to administer immunisation for measles and rubella, oral polio and tetanus according to national protocols.

Mental health

In 2023 our teams provided 362,800 individual mental health consultations. We offer mental health and psychosocial support through group sessions or individual consultations.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

In Cox’s Bazar area, we provide healthcare for NCD patients for both Rohingya refugees and host communities through outpatient clinics.

Our activities in 2022

Bangladesh stats 2022
Highlights of 2022

From March, we saw a rapid surge in patients with scabies that continued throughout the year, resulting in a significant increase in admissions to our facilities.

In April, we carried out a survey on water, hygiene and sanitation in the refugee camps, which showed that 88 per cent of inhabitants had no access to proper sanitation facilities, while 76 per cent of the available toilets were overflowing.

In Kamrangirchar district, in the capital, Dhaka, we collaborated with the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh to conduct a feasibility study in two metal factories, aimed at improving work safety and reducing injuries, focusing particularly on women and young workers.

In April, Dhaka hospitals started seeing an increase in cases of acute watery diarrhoea. In response, our teams donated supplies of saline solution and other medical materials to the Ministry of Health.

In July, MSF teams supported the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee’s response to a severe flash flood in Sylhet, in the northeast of the country. We distributed water, hygiene and sanitation kits to households, and ran mobile clinics in boats, providing emergency medical care.

In addition, we continued to offer technical support to the Ministry of Health to raise awareness among health workers and the community of the dangers of methanol poisoning, and contributed to the development of the National Mental Health Act, issued in 2022.

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