The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Olwel BD Ltd and Nuvista Pharma PLC have jointly launched a digital hospital pilot project aimed at providing round-the-clock primary and mental healthcare services to garment workers and their families. The initiative marks a notable advancement in efforts to modernise workplace health provision in the country’s largest export sector.
A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding formalising the collaboration was signed at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara. The partnership brings together the country’s leading garment industry body, a major ICT-driven healthcare platform and a prominent pharmaceutical company to scale digital health solutions across factories.
The MoU was signed by Olwel BD Ltd Chairman Mojahedul Hoque Abul Hasanat, Nuvista Pharma PLC Managing Director SM Robbur Reza and BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haq Khan. The pilot will initially cover 5,000 garment workers, with a further 5,000 to be added within three months. The long-term ambition is to extend digital healthcare services to all factories under BGMEA membership.
Under the programme, Olwel will operate a full ICT-enabled health platform offering secure electronic health records, follow-up services and 24/7 access to online general practitioners. Nuvista Pharma will co-finance the scheme and develop a structured referral network to ensure access to essential gynaecological and reproductive health services.
Science and Technology Secretary and former BGMEA Administrator Md. Anwar Hossain welcomed the initiative, observing that improved worker health strengthens productivity and urging other industries to adopt similar measures. BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haq Khan reiterated the association’s commitment to advancing digital healthcare for workers, saying that such services would be particularly beneficial for female employees seeking confidential medical advice. Nuvista Pharma’s Managing Director said the partnership would enhance health and nutrition services, while Olwel’s chairman noted the company’s intention to deliver swift, technology-based care directly within industrial settings.
Senior BGMEA officials, including Vice President Md. Shehab Udduza Chowdhury and Directors Shah Rayeed Chowdhury and Mohammad Abdur Rahim, attended the signing ceremony. The initiative builds on BGMEA’s ongoing efforts to improve health and welfare across the apparel sector.
