Catholic ladies spiritual at two hospitals in Bangladesh have spent a long time treating tuberculosis sufferers whom the federal government and society have largely neglected.
DHAKA, Bangladesh — Though very small in quantity, Catholics in Bangladesh are making a useful contribution to the care of tuberculosis sufferers in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh is an underdeveloped nation and due to monetary causes, many individuals on this nation don’t go to the physician on the main stage of any well being situation, solely when the issue turns into massive — and that is the case with tuberculosis sufferers,” mentioned Italian Sister Roberta Pignone, 55, a member of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate, popularly referred to as the PIME sisters.
Sister Roberta has been serving tuberculosis (TB) sufferers on the Damien Hospital within the Khulna Diocese, within the coastal space of Bangladesh, for about 25 years. Folks within the coastal space consistently wrestle with pure disasters and salinity to survive, and they usually keep away from in search of look after minor sicknesses.
“On behalf of the hospital, we distribute consciousness leaflets in varied public locations, and if somebody has signs of TB, we carry their samples and check them. It’s seen that about 90% have tuberculosis and they aren’t conscious,” Sister Roberta instructed EWTN Information.
On this hospital, sufferers are supplied with free lodging and meals, and if somebody can afford it, they pay some bills to the hospital.
Social stigma and late analysis
Sister Roberta mentioned that though the Bangladesh authorities maintains there are usually not a number of tuberculosis sufferers within the nation, many circumstances nonetheless go undetected. She additionally famous that many docs fail to acknowledge tuberculosis signs in sufferers as a result of the illness isn’t given precedence by the federal government.
Sister Roberta’s mates and family from her dwelling nation, Italy, and from different international locations present monetary help for the hospital’s operations.
“I’ve not had any monetary issues but; I’m persevering with God’s work in a roundabout way or one other. So long as my group retains me right here, I’ll work fortunately,” Sister Roberta added.
The Maria Bambina Sisters of Rajshahi Diocese run the Tuberculosis Shelter, which was established by the PIME Missionary Fathers in 1989. Initially, the shelter was run with funding from the PIME Fathers, however now it’s operated solely by the sisters.
Sister Augustina Tudu, 70, has been serving tuberculosis sufferers at this shelter for about 22 years. Initially, varied teams of sisters and fathers would go to villages and carry tuberculosis sufferers for therapy, however now the sufferers themselves come for therapy with the assistance of parish clergymen and sisters.
Drugs, meals, and shelter
In Bangladesh, tuberculosis and leprosy are nonetheless not given significance within the early phases. In lots of circumstances, these ailments, that are considered in another way by society, are usually not disclosed, Sister Augustina mentioned.
“We used to present free lodging and meals to tuberculosis sufferers, however now we aren’t in a position to do this anymore due to the financial disaster,” Sister Augustina instructed EWTN Information. “After the PIME Fathers left this hospital, we’re going by way of a number of monetary crises; in that case, now we have to take some cash from the sufferers.”
The TB shelter not solely supplies medicines but in addition nutritious meals to the sufferers, “as a result of TB is a illness that requires not solely medicines but in addition nutritious meals, and these sufferers are poor and they can not eat that form of meals at dwelling,” Sister Augustina added.
A lot of the Christian sufferers from the northern dioceses of Rajshahi and Dinajpur come to this TB shelter for therapy. Of the almost 150,000 Catholics in these two dioceses, most are from the Indigenous group and are financially poor.
“The Indigenous are naturally in monetary disaster and lead an ignorant life, on account of which TB or tuberculosis is extra widespread amongst them. We’re doing what we will, however due to the monetary disaster, we aren’t in a position to assist them utterly,” Sister Augustina mentioned.
In accordance to the Nationwide TB Management Programme of the Bangladesh Well being Division, 278,607 tuberculosis sufferers had been recognized within the nation from January to October 2025.
The nation’s objective is to remove tuberculosis by 2035. Its information signifies that deaths from tuberculosis have been lowered by 90% since 2015.
After the World Well being Group declared tuberculosis a worldwide emergency in 1993, the well being division has been working with nongovernmental organizations to management the illness. Tuberculosis analysis, therapy, and medicines are all offered freed from cost. Nonetheless, the tuberculosis state of affairs within the nation has not improved.
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