Infectious Diseases Hospital: From the School of Tropical Medicine to the ‘Dog-Bite Hospital’
The aim of the hospital was to isolate and treat patients suffering from deadly infectious diseases such as cholera, smallpox, plague, typhoid, and kala-azar so that the diseases would not spread on a larger scale
A short rickshaw ride from the entrance of the Institute of Public Health in Mohakhali stands a seven-storey building long familiar to locals — though rarely by its official name.
Most know it as the "Kukur kamra hospital" (dog-bite hospital), "Shat tala" (seven-storey building), or even "Kukur-bilai er medical" (hospital for dogs and cats). In reality, it is the Infectious Diseases Hospital, one of Bangladesh's oldest specialised healthcare institutions.
Although officially established as the Infectious Diseases Hospital in 1972, the institution dates back to 1956, when it began as the School of Tropical Medicine during the Pakistan period. At the time, Mohakhali was largely open land with few settlements. Following the 1947 Partition and Dhaka's rise as the capital of East Pakistan, rapid population growth, refugee influxes, and poor sanitation created widespread outbreaks of cholera, smallpox, malaria, kala-azar, and typhoid.
To contain these diseases, authorities planned a dedicated hospital in Mohakhali where infectious patients could be isolated and treated separately from the general population. Although Mitford Hospital had facilities to treat infectious diseases, handling large-scale outbreaks there was extremely difficult.
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A book published in Dhaka titled Health and Social Welfare in East Pakistan described the dire state of healthcare after the creation of Pakistan, noting that disease outbreaks were widespread while the number of hospitals, doctors, and nurses remained far below what was needed. According to the book, adult mortality rates were twice as high as those in developed countries, while infant mortality rates were five times higher.
The government responded through a series of health conferences held in 1947, 1951, and 1956, which led to the establishment of hospitals, medical colleges, health centres, and research laboratories across the country. Disease prevention programmes targeting malaria and tuberculosis were also prioritised under the first Five-Year Plan (1955–60).
Over time, the School of Tropical Medicine evolved into a major centre for higher education, research, and specialist training on infectious and tropical diseases. The brightest chapter in the institution's history came during the years when doctors from different parts of the country travelled there for advanced training.
However, the institution's prominence gradually declined after the establishment of the Institute of Postgraduate Medical Research (IPGMR) in 1965, later known as PG Hospital. While IPGMR focused on research and higher medical education, the Infectious Diseases Hospital increasingly became centred on treatment and isolation services.
Another major setback came in 1998, when IPGMR was transformed into Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), causing the hospital to lose much of its academic and research role.
Despite this decline, the hospital remains an important pillar of Bangladesh's healthcare system. Over time, it gradually became a trusted destination for the treatment of infectious diseases. Even today, it plays a key role in treating measles. This year alone, despite limited bed capacity, the hospital treated between 2,000 and 3,000 children infected with measles.
Yet according to Dr Ariful Basar, Senior Consultant (Medicine) and former superintendent of the hospital, many Bangladeshis still know little about the institution beyond its reputation as a "dog-bite hospital." He has been working at the hospital for the past four years. Notably, he was also the first doctor in Bangladesh to complete a fellowship in infectious diseases.
'Everyone thinks it is a rabies hospital'
Dr Ariful Basar said the hospital is widely known as a "dog-bite hospital" because, in its early years, large numbers of rabies patients came there and rabies vaccines were administered on-site. As a result, many people remain unaware that the hospital treats a broad range of infectious diseases, including measles, AIDS, chickenpox, diarrhoea, malaria, cholera, kala-azar, diphtheria, tetanus, pneumonia, typhoid, jaundice, rubella, whooping cough, viral hepatitis, mumps, and Covid-19.
The hospital is particularly known for providing specialised treatment for HIV patients. According to Dr Basar, it is the only hospital in Bangladesh offering comprehensive treatment facilities for People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The entire third floor is dedicated to HIV care, with treatment available for patients of all ages.
Three-year-old Mitumoni (pseudonym) is one such patient. Sitting quietly in a corner of the hospital, her grandmother Halima Khatun (pseudonym) recounted how Mitumoni's mother died of AIDS just 14 days ago, after the family had already lost another granddaughter to the same disease. Now, Mitumoni herself is battling HIV infection.
Halima travelled from Noakhali to Dhaka with the child after a doctor in Cumilla informed them that treatment was available at the hospital. "We did not know HIV treatment was available here," she said. "Doctors have told us that with regular treatment, Mitumoni may recover. That hope is keeping us going."
Dr Basar said the hospital provides all necessary treatment and support for HIV patients. Besides HIV cases, the hospital currently treats patients suffering from rabies, tetanus, measles, dengue, chikungunya, typhoid, influenza, pneumonia, and chickenpox. Although kala-azar and malaria cases have declined significantly, around 30 to 35 kala-azar patients are still identified annually, while severe malaria cases are also admitted.
Different floors are allocated for specific diseases. The second floor houses the isolation unit for highly infectious patients, currently measles cases. The third floor is dedicated to HIV treatment, the fourth to tetanus patients, the fifth to the ICU, and the sixth to patients with various fevers.
700 to 800 patients a day
That the hospital remains best known for its rabies treatment services can be seen from the number of people who come here for vaccination. According to Dr Basar, around 700 to 800 patients crowd the hospital every day to receive rabies vaccines. Some come directly, while others are referred from different hospitals.
The number of rabies-related deaths in Bangladesh has declined significantly over the years. Where annual rabies deaths once stood close to 100, the figure has now fallen to around 45 to 50.
Still, Dr Basar stressed the need for greater public awareness regarding rabies. The harsh reality, he said, is that once symptoms appear, survival is almost impossible.
"Three to four patients have survived here, but later became disabled. In the past, there were so many rabies patients at this hospital that even now, whenever such patients are found elsewhere, they are often referred here. Many also come on their own. Because there are genuinely good treatment facilities for them here," he said.
Similar praise for the hospital's services came from Md Rafi, who arrived to receive a rabies vaccine. Satisfied with his experience, he said, "Many people probably would not believe that such quick treatment is possible for only Tk10. I myself did not know about this hospital before. I learned about it from a friend."
According to Dr Basar, people are now far more aware about rabies vaccination because effective treatment after infection is almost non-existent. He noted that among the very small number of rabies patients worldwide who have survived, many were unable to return to a normal life afterward. For this reason, rabies still remains one of modern medicine's greatest challenges.
I truly believe that doctors here have far more practical experience in infection management than many others. If modern facilities and research opportunities are expanded, this hospital could become one of the country's most important centres for infectious disease research and treatment. It has that level of potential. But unfortunately, it has not received the attention it deserves.
The hospital has a capacity of only 100 beds, making it difficult to accommodate the large number of patients arriving from different parts of the country. As a result, many patients are forced to receive treatment on the floor.
Dr Basar also said patients can be admitted for only Tk15, while food and medicines are provided free of charge, although some medicines still need to be purchased outside the hospital.
Dr Basar noted that the hospital was once one of the country's leading centres for infectious disease research — a legacy that still continues in many ways. Efforts are now underway to once again strengthen the institution as a centre for research and specialised training. Research is currently being conducted on the nature, spread, and treatment methods of various infectious diseases.
He also mentioned preparations for a clinical trial on rabies. In addition, the icddr,b is working jointly with the hospital on rabies-related research. The organisation is conducting studies to develop a new diagnostic tool that could help detect rabies more quickly.
Dr Basar further said that a future project on IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) supported by JICA is also expected to begin. IPC refers to systems designed to ensure that patients, visitors, and healthcare workers are protected from harmful infections and germs while receiving or providing medical treatment at hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Alongside this, annual survey research on HIV, measles, and other infectious diseases — including patient numbers, disease trends, and patterns of spread — is also ongoing.
The hospital has also introduced postgraduate training in infectious diseases. Alongside the hospital's own doctors, researchers and physicians from icddr,b, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), and different medical colleges across the country are conducting research and thesis work there.
According to Dr Basar, it is currently the country's only recognised institution for higher training in infectious diseases. At present, three doctors from other hospitals are attached to the institution for postgraduate training in infectious diseases.
However, he believes infectious diseases should have emerged as a much stronger and more established specialised medical field in Bangladesh than it currently is.
"Strengthening this field is essential for tackling future pandemics. Covid-19 itself proved how devastating an invisible virus can become for the entire world," he said.
Dr Basar mentioned the recently discussed hantavirus. "It is unlikely to turn into a large-scale pandemic but public awareness remains important. To face such future threats effectively, facilities and capacities at the Infectious Diseases Hospital must be expanded."
The idea of travel medicine
In this regard, Dr Basar believes introducing travel medicine could be an effective step forward. As international travel continues to increase, the need for "travel medicine" — or pre-travel healthcare services — is also growing.
According to him, the hospital is planning to introduce specialised services focused on travel-related health issues. These may include guidance on required vaccinations before travelling abroad, awareness about diseases prevalent in different countries, and health protection measures for foreign nationals visiting Bangladesh.
At the same time, he openly spoke about the hospital's many limitations, including inadequate infrastructure, staff shortages, an ageing building, and poor cleanliness and maintenance conditions. Beyond that, running the hospital with only 20 doctors, 73 nurses, and 26 staff members while treating hundreds of patients is almost unimaginable.
Yet amid all these shortcomings, the hospital's greatest strength has become its experience in handling crises and infectious disease outbreaks in Bangladesh.
"I truly believe that doctors here have far more practical experience in infection management than many others. If modern facilities and research opportunities are expanded, this hospital could become one of the country's most important centres for infectious disease research and treatment. It has that level of potential. But unfortunately, it has not received the attention it deserves," concluded Dr Basar.
