BN Report, Chattogram
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)with support from the Coca-Cola Foundation and in partnership with Young Power in Social Action (YPSA), successfully concluded two health camps for informal plastic waste workers in Chattogram City Corporation Area today.
Organized under the Plastics Circularity Project, the initiative provided basic essential healthcare services to approximately 150 waste workers in two locations. The camps targeted an informal group that provides a critical service in maintaining the local environment, but often lacks access to formal medical services.
The campaign offered free medical checkups, including blood pressure and blood sugar screenings, general health consultations, and the distribution of essential medicines. Recognizing the specific needs of women in the sector, the camps also provided private consultations on reproductive and menstrual health. Additionally, women participants received “dignity kits” containing women’s personal hygiene and safety supplies.
Upon visiting the camps, the Malaria & Mosquito Control Officer, Chattogram City Corporation, Md. Sarful Islam Mahi said, “Plastic is both indispensable to our daily lives and deeply harmful to our environment, which is precisely why integrating it into the circular economy is so critical. In total, 2,000 plastic waste workers are now covered under this project, with safety gear and socioeconomic protection ensured for them. Addressing the global plastic crisis requires collaboration across government, the private sector, and civil society. Chattogram City Corporation stands firmly behind this initiative, and we will continue to extend every support necessary.”
The program also focused on awareness, teaching workers how to mitigate occupational hazards through better safety practices.
The Plastics Circularity Project continues to work in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and Tangail districts toward an inclusive system that integrates informal plastic waste workers into the circular economy while ensuring their rights, health, and safety are protected.
