DSK-Hospital in Mohammadpur, Dhaka

Dushtha Shasthya Kendra (DSK) is a non-government development organization (NGO) working for poverty reduction of the target poor Bangladeshi population in selected hard to reach remote areas of Bangladesh. In mid-eighties under the banner of “Niramoy Free Friday Clinic” a group of likeminded professionals, doctors, social activists, and volunteers begun to facilitate Primary Health Care (PHC) activities at Tejgaon slums in Dhaka. This was the informal beginning of DSK. In 1988 a devastating flood engulf two thirds of Bangladesh including its capital Dhaka, in this situation the DSK was formally started with a Medical Team to provide immediate relief and health care to flood effected people in Dhaka city. The main aim of setting up the organization was to continue and consolidate above mentioned efforts and engage to facilitate and develop a health delivery approach targeting the marginalized that would be self-sustainable in the long run. In 1989, DSK was registered with Department of Social Service (Dha-02273)and in 1991 with NGO Affair’s Bureau (No 577) in Bangladesh. Depending on the geographic locations DSK’s activities have been generally classified as urban and rural development. In the bygone period the urban program was based in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna cities, and the rural development programme based in Barguna, Bagerhat, Gazipur, Jessore, Khulna, Kishoreganj, Narshingdi, Netrakona, Narayanganj, Sunamganj, andSatkhira districts. Slum dwellers and low income communities are target project participants from urban and rural areas. DSK targets to cover hard to reach areas and extreme poor households. In this connection, DSK is active in Haor region, Coastal belt and urban slums which are recognized as extreme poverty pockets in Bangladesh.