The MoU signing ceremony was held at the Swisscontact Bangladesh Country Office in Dhaka, marking a significant milestone under the Swisscontact ASTHA project. The partnership formalises a shared commitment to jointly design, implement, and scale the ASTHA CARE model - a private network of community-anchored, technology-enabled rural healthcare enterprises which mobilises and utilises local entrepreneurs’ investment to sustain.
Under this partnership, Swisscontact and Carnival Care will collaborate to support the development of a network of private enterprises that bring together rapid diagnostics, medical consultations, and pharmacy services under one roof, all connected by a digital system. The model is designed to address systemic gaps in rural healthcare by combining local entrepreneurship, quality assurance, and innovative health technologies in a commercially viable and scalable manner.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, representatives from both organisations highlighted the importance of moving beyond fragmented service delivery towards integrated, sustainable healthcare solutions. The partnership aims to enable local health entrepreneurs to invest in and operate ASTHA CARE facilities while ensuring regulatory compliance, service quality, and long-term financial sustainability.
Through this collaboration, the parties will work together to:
Carnival Care brings to the partnership its experience as a technology-driven healthcare platform, with expertise in rapid diagnostics, telemedicine, digital health systems, and large-scale service delivery across both urban and rural settings. Swisscontact, through ASTHA, contributes its long-standing experience in systems development, market facilitation, and strengthening the health workforce and service ecosystems in Bangladesh.
The MoU reinforces ASTHA’s broader vision to establish sustainable, market-based healthcare solutions that improve access for rural communities while creating dignified entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for local youth.
The partnership will remain in effect until December 2026 and is expected to play a catalytic role in demonstrating scalable models for equitable healthcare access in Bangladesh.