Health, Nutrition & WASH
Ensuring healthy lives, promoting well-being, and expanding access to safe water and sanitation for all.
VOSD's Health, Nutrition, and WASH programs are designed to address the interconnected challenges of public health and community well-being. Since our founding in 1987, we have worked relentlessly to provide essential healthcare services, improve maternal and child health, combat malnutrition, and ensure that every household has access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities.
Current Initiatives
Active programs currently transforming lives and building a healthier Bangladesh.
Health & Hygiene Program
A comprehensive awareness initiative delivered through weekly group meetings and community sessions. It covers essential topics like family welfare, maternal and child health (MCH), and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) to prevent disease and promote healthier lifestyles.
Mother & Child Health, Family Planning & Growth Monitoring
Delivering primary healthcare, nutrition, and maternal health education. Activities include traditional birth attendant (TBA) training, growth monitoring, food supplementation, and contraceptive services to ensure safe motherhood and healthy child development.
Water & Sanitation (WatSan) Program
A massive infrastructure and awareness initiative to provide safe water and improved sanitation. The program has constructed thousands of water points and hundreds of thousands of latrines, drastically reducing waterborne diseases in rural areas.
Community WASH Education - School & Mosque
Promoting water, sanitation, and hygiene awareness through schools, mosques, and community institutions. The program uses these trusted community hubs to disseminate vital health information and demonstrate proper handwashing techniques.
Legacy Programs
A look back at our historical initiatives that laid the foundation for today's impact.
National Nutrition Program (NNP & NNP-HNPSP)
Delivered large-scale community-based nutrition services across 37 upazilas. The program targeted the most vulnerable groups, including children under two, pregnant women, and adolescent girls, through Community Nutrition Centres.
Bangladesh Integrated Nutrition Program (BINP)
Supported by DAE and the World Bank, this program implemented comprehensive nutrition and health education. It included training, homestead gardening, horticulture support, and the supply of high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds to improve household food security.
Health Services - Clinics & Satellite
Provided primary healthcare through a network of community clinics and satellite service points. The initiative delivered essential maternal and child healthcare, general consultations, basic treatment, and preventive care to low-income households.
Poultry for Nutrition (PFN)
Promoted poultry-related activities to support household nutrition and food security. The program provided training and resources to families, enabling them to raise poultry for domestic consumption and supplemental income.
HIV/AIDS Prevention Program
Conducted extensive awareness and prevention activities targeting vulnerable communities. The program focused on reducing stigma, promoting safe practices, and providing access to accurate health information through counselling and community events.
Shasthyo Surokhsha Karmasuchi (SSK) - Social Health Insurance
A pioneering social protection initiative that provided financial protection against healthcare expenses for low-income households. The program facilitated access to essential medical services and promoted health coverage awareness.
Garments Workers' Health & WASH Program
Targeted the ready-made garment (RMG) sector to improve workplace health and hygiene. The program installed hand-washing dispensers, distributed hand wash, and conducted behavior change communication (BCC) sessions for factory workers.
Participatory Small Scale Water Resources Sector Project
Supported community-based water resource management through local water management groups. Activities included community mobilization, rehabilitation of small-scale water infrastructure, and strengthening local capacity for sustainable resource use.
Arsenic Awareness & Mitigation Program
A critical public health intervention to combat arsenic contamination in drinking water. The program identified and red-marked contaminated tube wells, installed safe alternatives, and trained local stakeholders on the risks of arsenicosis.
Arsenic Risk Reduction Project (ARRP)
Continued the fight against arsenic contamination by promoting safe drinking water. The project focused on testing water sources, raising community awareness, and promoting alternative safe water options to reduce health risks.
Integrated Management for Childhood Illness under IMCI
Implemented in collaboration with ICDDR'B to promote integrated healthcare for children under five. The program trained healthcare workers on early identification of danger signs, basic treatment, and referral services.
Poverty Alleviation through Nutrition Development
Addressed the dual challenges of poverty and malnutrition. Through nutrition education, homestead gardening, and income-generating activities, the program helped households achieve better food security and balanced diets.
Interpersonal Communication Training & Street Theatres
Used creative mediums like street theatre and interpersonal communication training to promote awareness on nutrition-related issues across nine NNP upazilas. It successfully engaged communities in a culturally relevant way.