3 Ways COVID-19 is Affecting Poor Families in Bangladesh
As COVID-19 continues to spread with record breaking statistics reported daily, our hearts and prayers stay focused on the poor who are impacted much more severely than most of us. We have heard reports here in the U.S. about the disparities the pandemic has punctuated in our country. Ethnic, racial minorities, indigenous people, migrants, old people, people with disabilities, prisoners and other marginalized groups are adversely affected due to their lower socio-economic status, and as a result, their oftentimes “pre-existing” conditions. So how is the pandemic affecting Bangladesh in general and our work with the poor in particular?
The Stats
Statistics released by the World Health Organization as of January 14, 2021 indicated a total of 524,020 cases of COVID have been reported in Bangladesh with 7,819 deaths. In a country of over 160 million people (half the population of the U.S.), these numbers seem low. The Lancet, a well-respected peer-reviewed general medical journal, published a story in late August, 2020 shedding some light on the situation in Bangladesh. The story indicated that graveyard managers in Dhaka (the capitol city) told the head of a public health research organization in Bangladesh that the death rate was “four times higher” than the recorded figure because many people died before they were tested or while they were waiting for their test results.
1. Lack of Accessible Affordable Healthcare
Since we are discussing a health issue, let’s begin with healthcare. Bangladesh is facing an unprecedented challenge to protect against COVID-19 because of its high population density and fragile healthcare system. There is a strong correlation between healthcare and economic growth. The better and bigger the economy, the better the healthcare. Healthcare systems in developing countries like Bangladesh tend to be weaker due to minimal resources. In fact, Bangladesh is one of the lowest spenders on health globally. Even before the pandemic, our team in Bangladesh shared with us that most people of wealth traveled out of the country for medical care – to India, the U.K. or the U.S. as the quality of healthcare in Bangladesh was questionable. The pandemic has shut down this option as travel is prohibited. And there is a lack of trust in the Bangladeshi health care system due to corruption.
With regard to the families we serve, you have probably read stories we’ve included in our newsletters that indicate they are more concerned about starving to death than they are about catching the virus. The significant lack of healthcare options in rural areas has been a problem for some time. Expanding our Integrated Health Care Program can help to address this need in the areas we serve, but only with additional funding support.
The most important thing we have the ability to do with regard to COVID is communicate to the families we serve the facts about how it is spread and what they can do to protect themselves – wash their hands, wear a mask, keep a distance from others. Our social workers are doing just that. The fact that most families spend a bulk of their time outside is also helpful, we believe.
2. Fewer Work Opportunities
The first case of coronavirus was reported in Bangladesh on March 7. The government immediately closed schools and businesses. Schools are still closed (more on that in a bit) but businesses have slowly reopened. The impact is predicted to be a 13% increase in the number of unemployed, a significant drop in income among the lower and middle-income classes and a poverty rate forecasted to increase by 25% (according to the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies). Exports have been reduced by 17% and average revenue for small and medium sized businesses has dropped 66%. A million garment workers have been laid off due to cancelled orders for clothing by large retailers. In addition, it is estimated that 10 million Bangladeshis work across the middle east. Many of these have been forced to return to Bangladesh due to layoffs, further increasing the economic impact. This economic impact is certainly expected to take its toll on a developing country for years to come.
The families we serve are self-employed or are working for others in agriculture or doing manual labor. They are mostly at the mercy of the decisions and actions of others, like all of those living in poverty. The government has approved a stimulus package valued at $8 billion to help those affected, but those funds rarely reach the families we serve. Our social workers immediately shifted their emphasis from lifting families out of poverty to simply helping them survive by providing food for their family. Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to provide funding for food to over 1,000 families in 2020 for this critical need. 2021 will remain focused on providing food, and helping families regain their momentum in their journey out of extreme poverty.
3. Education Shut-down
We were surprised to learn from our team in Bangladesh that schools continued to be closed across the country, including our 39 primary schools. Officials are waiting for the spread of the virus to decrease before reopening schools. Families with wealth can help their children take advantage of on-line learning opportunities, which don’t exist in rural areas. Again, the poor are left out. Many poor parents keep their children home to help them find ways to bring income into the household. We recently received a newspaper photo from our team in Bangladesh showing two very young boys picking through garbage in a dumping ground for plastic to sell. Their mother was a garment worker who was laid off. The children were taken out of school permanently to help the family. Child labor is a significant issue in Bangladesh and is expected to only grow due to the pandemic.
We are grateful that our teachers continue to visit with their K-2nd grade students to keep them motivated to learn. Once they are in school, we must find ways to keep them in school. Education is the key to eradicating poverty. We are also exploring options to bolster our education program and increase the number of our students that are able to continue their education. Stay tuned!
Helping Organizations
With the pandemic not expected to end any time soon, it falls on the helping organizations to offer additional aid to vulnerable populations worldwide. The World Bank, Care International, and the United Nations are among many organizations implementing programs and policies to directly target those most vulnerable. To date, of the $4.4 billion dedicated to a COVID-19 response by the U.S. Congress, only 0.1% is being used for an international response. More funding for developing nations could help these countries get what they need to recover from COVID-19 and the secondary effects sooner!
The work of PSDI continues – and becomes even more essential to families in the areas we serve. A gift of as little as $25 can go a long way in making a difference in the life of a family. When was the last time you spent $25 on something on a whim, something you didn’t really need? Next time, fight the urge and remember the poor who are fighting for their lives. Donate at www.psdintl.org/waystogive. Thank you.