Thirty garment and knitwear factories awarded for successfully piloting model enterprise clinics

DHAKA (ILO News) – Thirty (30) garment and knitwear factories in Bangladesh were awarded by their respective industry associations in June 2023 for successfully piloting model enterprise clinics that will provide first line health care for workers.

The awards were presented following dissemination of consolidated and simplified government guidelines requiring factories with different workforce sizes to provide appropriate level of basic healthcare for their employees.

The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) partnered with the ILO to pilot the model enterprise clinics in selected member factories using a handbook and checklist developed to facilitate the process.

ILO along with its knowledge partner CMED, developed the handbook and checklist of model enterprise clinics based on relevant regulations from the Bangladesh Labour Law, Bangladesh Labour Rules, and suggestions from relevant stakeholders. Both BGMEA and BKMEA were actively involved in this process.

The model enterprise handbook and checklist were reviewed and approved for use by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), which requested for the development of a tutorial video to help better explain the requirements for establishing model clinics.

Using these resources, the industry associations carried out baseline assessments in 30 member factories (15 each) and developed an action plan to improve health facilities in the factories.

The industry associations organized lesson sharing dissemination events for the participating factories thereafter awarding the enterprises for successfully implementing the relevant Government requirements.

The model enterprise clinics are part of ILO’s project - Implementing the Employment Injury Scheme Pilot (EIS-Pilot) funded by the Government of the Netherlands. Under this programme, ILO and GIZ are jointly providing technical support to the Government of Bangladesh, Employers, and Workers’ organizations.

For further information please contact:

Noushin Shah; National Project Coordinator, EIS

Email: [email protected]