NGO Health Service Delivery Project (NHSDP)

The Surjer Hashi, or "Smiling Sun", network consists of more than 25 local NGOs, 300+ static clinics, 8,800 satellite clinics, and 6,300 community service providers.

Wherever you see a red flag, you know a pregnant woman lives inside. It keeps the entire community on alert and ready to help during pregnancy or childbirth.

In 2012, Pathfinder launched the NGO Health Service Delivery Project, a five-year USAID-DFID-funded initiative in Bangladesh. The project’s primary focus is providing technical assistance and capacity building to local NGOS to provide quality services for poor and underserved populations. Expanded access to and uptake of essential health care services will improve health outcomes and contribute to decreasing fertility and maternal, infant, and child mortality.

Pathfinder works with an accomplished team of partners, including CARE/Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs, the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs, the Social Marketing Company, Rapport Bangladesh, and Nari Uddug Kendra. 

NHSDP supports delivery of an “essential service package” of quality primary health care through its extensive nationwide network. The essential service package includes access to: reproductive health, child health, behavior change communication, communicable disease control, and limited curative care.

The project is building a more effective and efficient network of partner NGO clinics to support the delivery of services in population, health, and nutrition across the country. NHSDP interventions will lead to:

• Increased access and use of essential primary health care services
• Improved healthy behaviors and care seeking practices
• Enhanced ownership of service delivery by partner NGOs

The project supports the delivery of primary health care through a nationwide network called Surjer Hashi, or "Smiling Sun." The network consists of more than 25 local NGOs, 300+ static clinics, 8,800 satellite clinics, and 6,300 community service providers. NHSDP serves approximately 22.2 million people (15% of the population) through this massive network.

Since January 2013, there has been a 19.4% increase in service contacts through the Smiling Sun NGOs, clinics, and service providers. The project has reached over 10 million youth with reproductive health services, ensured that more than 27,000 births were assisted by skilled community birth attendants, and provided immediate care to more than 50,000 newborn children.