Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the APPNA Medical Corps Rohingya Relief Mission in Bangladesh!
*All medical missions are currently on hold due to COVID-19. Please check back at a later time.
The Rohingya are a Muslim minority ethnic group who have lived for centuries in the majority Buddhist Myanmar. Since the late 1970’s, nearly one million Rohingya have fled Myanmar due to widespread persecution, many going to Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Government has been very gracious to accept the refugees, but their resources are limited and the population continues to increase. Fields and hillsides are being turned into makeshift camps, often with limited access to clean water, latrines, medical care, and safety. It is a small Country with a huge population to care for.
APPNA Medical Corps is partnered with OBAT Helpers, a non-profit organization committed to serving displaced and disadvantaged individuals in Bangladesh to provide primary and urgent care at OBAT Helpers’ medical clinic located in the Kutupalong Rohingya Relief Camp. The medical clinic is run by volunteer doctors and treats about 300-400 patients per day.
The Rohingya Relief Mission is an ongoing medical mission broken down by one week intervals (Sunday to Thursday). Physicians can volunteer one week at a time with three days spent at the Kutupalong Rohingya Relief Camp. Based on new regulations imposed by the Bangladesh Government, visitors are issued a 3-day visitor pass to enter Kutupalong Rohingya Relief Camp with the possibility of a 2-day extension. APPNA Medical Corps is communicating with other organizations for volunteers who would like to help at the camp beyond the 3-5 days, but will not be able to do so through OBAT Helpers.
Physicians with specialties in Primary Care, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, and OB/GYN are encouraged to volunteer. Other practicing specialties will be considered individually to train the local in-house Physician and paramedical staff.
The first step to help with this mission is to complete the Online Volunteer Form. Please be sure to specify which week(s) you are available. Once you complete the Online Volunteer Form, you will receive an email requesting more information about you in the form of your CV/ resume and a short statement describing your interest in this mission. If chosen to move forward with the mission Saima Hassan, Director of Development & Communications at OBAT Helpers, will reach out to you to complete the OBAT Helpers Volunteer Form and sign the APPNA/ OBAT Helpers Liability Release Form. Saima will work exclusively with you to assist with booking the hotel in Cox’s Bazar and outline the Visa process. It is your responsibility to pay for your hotel stay, book and pay for your airfare, and apply for the Visa from the Bangladesh Consulate in your area.
APPNA Medical Corps encourages you to volunteer your time for this extremely worthy cause and gratifying experience. Let us show the world that APPNA really shines when and where a humanitarian crisis strikes.