Bangladesh: Freedom fighter, public health pioneer Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury passes away

Veteran Liberation War fighter and legendary public health activist Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury passed away in Dhaka on last night. He was 81. Dr. Zafrullah was admitted to Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital last week. He was on life support since Monday. Dr. Zafrullah was suffering from kidney-related ailments and other old-age-related problems.

Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury was a vascular surgeon and a pioneer in public health. He set up the Gonoshasthaya Kendra in 1972 to provide affordable and quality treatment to underprivileged people. It has expanded into a network of seven hospitals and 50 sub-centres providing affordable healthcare services to the people of Bangladesh.

Its Dhaka centre runs the largest dialysis centre in the country.

Dr. Zafrullah received international acclaim for his work in the field of public health. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in the Community Leadership category in 1985 and the Right Livelihood Prize in 1992 for his outstanding work in the public health sector. For his outstanding work to provide healthcare services to the poor, he was known as ‘poor people’s doctor’.

Dr. Zafrullah was a veteran freedom fighter. In 1971, he left his medical studies in the UK to join the liberation war of Bangladesh. He set up a big field hospital near Melaghar in Tripura during the liberation war of Bangladesh to treat the freedom fighters wounded in the war and the refugees.

In 1977, he was awarded the Independence Award, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh.