Enhancing Healthcare Access and OHS Compliance through Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC) in Bangladesh’s RMG Sector

Enhancing Healthcare Access and OHS Compliance through Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC) in Bangladesh’s RMG Sector | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Enhancing Healthcare Access and OHS Compliance through Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC) in Bangladesh’s RMG Sector Nabila Binte Ayub, Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Marzia Zaman, Asnuva Tanvin, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8598685/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Workers in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector face serious health risks due to poor working conditions, limited healthcare access, and weak regulatory compliance. Specifically, communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health issues, injuries, and occupational disorders are widespread and persistent. Factory-based health services often lack the resources to address these problems. Therefore, this study aims to improve healthcare facilities in the RMG sector to enhance workers’ health conditions. Methods: This mixed-methods study draws on stakeholder interviews and a pilot implementation across 30 factories in Bangladesh. Accordingly, qualitative analysis was conducted to identify limitations and solutions related to healthcare access, focusing on stakeholder perspectives and mitigation strategies from the Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC). To achieve this, the six-phase inductive thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke was applied. In contrast, quantitative analysis was used to determine the key factors essential for the sustainability of the model, employing Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Result: The study shows that stakeholders mainly identified a lack of skilled doctors and nurses, along with poor service quality. Their most common recommendation was improving equipment, followed by increasing doctors, nurses, and medicines. For MEC model sustainability, they prioritized Digital Health Services (0.2749), Affordability (0.2598), Factory Owners’ Motivation (0.1807), Regular Training (0.1461), and High-Quality Supplies (0.1338). During the pilot, proposed solutions focused most on utilities, followed by equipment and medicine. Conclusion: The results highlight the main areas for improvement in the factory's enterprise clinic that supports employees' health and well-being through two distinct channels: field observation and stakeholder input. The study also focuses on the factors that affect the Model Enterprise Clinic, which will benefit economic, social, and environmental practices. Keywords: Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC), Ready-Made Garment (RMG), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Stakeholders Model Enterprise Clinic(MEC) Ready-Made Garment(RMG) Analytical Hierarchy process(AHP) Stakeholders Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files Supplimentarymaterial1.xlsx Supplimentarymaterial2.xlsx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 31 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 28 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 16 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 06 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 04 Mar, 2026 Editor invited by journal 05 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 04 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 04 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8598685","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":603477294,"identity":"2b19a779-a755-4a73-9c33-8cd0c05d234e","order_by":0,"name":"Nabila Binte Ayub","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"CMED Health Limited","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nabila","middleName":"Binte","lastName":"Ayub","suffix":""},{"id":603477295,"identity":"7452146f-8950-4d3e-84ab-c8e2c5fb1b80","order_by":1,"name":"Md. 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Specifically, communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health issues, injuries, and occupational disorders are widespread and persistent. Factory-based health services often lack the resources to address these problems. Therefore, this study aims to improve healthcare facilities in the RMG sector to enhance workers’ health conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods:\u003c/strong\u003e This mixed-methods study draws on stakeholder interviews and a pilot implementation across 30 factories in Bangladesh. Accordingly, qualitative analysis was conducted to identify limitations and solutions related to healthcare access, focusing on stakeholder perspectives and mitigation strategies from the Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC). To achieve this, the six-phase inductive thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke was applied. In contrast, quantitative analysis was used to determine the key factors essential for the sustainability of the model, employing Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResult:\u003c/strong\u003e The study shows that stakeholders mainly identified a lack of skilled doctors and nurses, along with poor service quality. Their most common recommendation was improving equipment, followed by increasing doctors, nurses, and medicines. For MEC model sustainability, they prioritized Digital Health Services (0.2749), Affordability (0.2598), Factory Owners’ Motivation (0.1807), Regular Training (0.1461), and High-Quality Supplies (0.1338). During the pilot, proposed solutions focused most on utilities, followed by equipment and medicine.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion:\u003c/strong\u003e The results highlight the main areas for improvement in the factory's enterprise clinic that supports employees' health and well-being through two distinct channels: field observation and stakeholder input. The study also focuses on the factors that affect the Model Enterprise Clinic, which will benefit economic, social, and environmental practices. Keywords: Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC), Ready-Made Garment (RMG), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Stakeholders\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Enhancing Healthcare Access and OHS Compliance through Model Enterprise Clinic (MEC) in Bangladesh’s RMG Sector","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-11 01:06:23","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8598685/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-31T17:07:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-28T11:25:51+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-16T07:27:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"116101159805262029477174793484506315474","date":"2026-03-13T15:41:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"55172249610526759930394937507150124284","date":"2026-03-13T14:53:26+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"35798083056731050694765914829092429553","date":"2026-03-11T09:18:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"334765476534004261199148257906388176435","date":"2026-03-10T02:30:00+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"192227192184885985905562680704430913156","date":"2026-03-09T06:05:02+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-03-06T06:33:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-04T05:20:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-05T06:45:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-04T07:07:27+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Health Services Research","date":"2026-02-04T07:05:38+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-health-services-research","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"bhsr","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Health Services Research](http://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/BHSR/default.aspx","title":"BMC Health Services Research","twitterHandle":"BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f9debe2f-9743-4f84-babe-476bb2d427ad","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 11th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-11T01:06:23+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-11 01:06:23","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8598685","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8598685","identity":"rs-8598685","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}