Dr Zafrullah seriously ill, hospitalised

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury has been hospitalised after falling seriously ill. 

He is currently admitted to the Dhanmondi Nagar Hospital in the capital, Gonoshasthaya Kendra Press Adviser Jahangir Alam Mintu said in a statement on Friday (7 April). 

"Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury is seriously ill. He has been suffering from kidney complications for a long time. In the last few days, he has been suffering from old age complications," reads the statement.

"He is currently under the treatment of Professor Dr Brigadier General Mamun Mustafi (Retd), head of the Nephrology Department of Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College. Renowned doctors of the country, including our doctors, are taking care of his treatment. Everyone's prayers are very much needed at this time," added the statement.

Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury is a well-known Bangladeshi physician and public health activist. He received his medical degree from Dhaka Medical College in 1966 and later received a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

He was in surgical training in London when the liberation war of Bangladesh erupted in 1971. Hurrying home, he established a field hospital with his colleagues to treat battle casualties. In 1972, he founded Gonoshasthaya Kendra with the aim of providing healthcare services to underserved communities in Bangladesh. 

In 1985, he won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in Community Leadership category for "engineering Bangladesh's new drug policy, eliminating unnecessary pharmaceuticals, and making comprehensive medical care more available to ordinary citizens".

Dr Zafrullah has also been involved in various other social and political activities throughout his life and advocated for human rights, democracy, and social justice in Bangladesh. He has received numerous awards and honours for his contributions to public health and social welfare.