Health Insurance Scheme for garment workers from GK also supported by European buyers (BAN18 - GK)

Dulali, 25 years was born outside of Dhaka, near the border with India. When she was 12, a marriage was arranged for her. With her husband, also a garment worker, she has two children, 7 and 3 years old, all living in one room. While she initially stayed at the house, she started working as garment worker two years ago, because she wanted to add to the family income. She pays 20€ for rent, which represents 25% of her salary. She has opened a bank account, on which she deposits half, but the other half of her salary she gives to her husband. She gave her testimony at the GK medical center in Panisail, where she came for pain killers since her appendix was still painful after it had been removed at the GK Hospital. This operation was covered by her health insurance with GK to which she subscribed over a year ago, while in a private clinic it would have cost at least 300€. She roughly estimated that through the health insurance, she has saved at least 500€ during the past year.

WSM partner, Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) or the People’s Health Center is the second largest health provider after the Bangladeshi government. While it initially focused on the rural areas, GK has included garment workers in the urban areas since these are also in need of support for their access to health. GK has adapted its health insurance scheme to garment workers, with contributions coming from the worker but also from the employer or the retailer in Europe, like the French supermarket chain Auchan which covers 20.000 garment workers (link).