Day Visit Report on BIRDEM Hospital

Activities:

1.       To provide comprehensive diabetic care which include motivation and rehabilitation of diabetic patients.

2.       To provide manpower like endocrinologist, nurses, laboratory technicians, dieticians, social welfare worker etc.

3.       To provide short term training for health personnel of different category with a view to incorporate dieticians health care in the primary health care level.

4.       Also provide hospital services specially to deal with the complications of          diabetes and to run research in field of diabetology.

5.       To provide different postgraduate courses in diabetes endocrine and metabolic disorder.

Organogram of the organization:

          Diabetic association of Bangladesh (DAB) is a non-profit voluntary socio-medical organization registered with the ministry of social welfare. it is run by 29 members national council, of which 21 members including 5 from the delegates of the branches, who are directly elected from amongst the bonafide members every 2 years. These 21 members elect the office bearers of the National Council, consisting of a president, 3 Vice-president, General Secretary, A Treasurer and Joint Secretary.

          The president so elected, nominated another 5 members from among the senior professors including vice chancellors of universities, Heads of National Research organization, Financial Institutions, Donors and social workers. In addition the Government nominates 3 ex-official members representing the ministries of Health and family Welfare, Social welfare and finance. The members nominated by the government must be in the rank of a joint secretary of above.

BIRDEM:

Existing Resources:

1.       Dedicated and skilled manpower

2.       Financial support from Donor’s group and money received from    affluent/solvent patients.

3.       Various types of modern equipments and technologies.

4.       550 bedded hospital

Objectives:

1.       The main motto of BIRDEM is “NO diabetic shall die untreated,    unemployed, unfed, even if poor”.

2.       To provide comprehensive health care to the diabetic patient which includes management, education regarding diabetes, motivation and rehabilitation of patients.

Achievements:

1.       Take care of largest number of diabetic subjects in one centre in BIRDEM is the highest in the whole world. Approximately 2000 patients are attending OPD daily.

2.       Post graduate medical courses playing a central role in creating health manpower for better management of diabetic patient.

3.       Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre of BIRDEM helps the diabetic patients to lead a meaningful and respectful life in the society.

Problems and constraints of the organization:

1)              Shortage of Financial support

2)              Lack of adequate manpower

3)              Patient load is very high

Personal observation: A Day visite to BIRDEM is a wonderful experience: BIRDEM was started from tiny tin shaded house but now it is a multistoried building. This indicate its proper planning, implementation, management and strong administration. Distribution to the drugs to the poor free of cost or at subsidized price is a noble provision. Steps should be taken to decentralize patients through National Health Care Network (NHN) and affiliated association to reduce the heavy load of out patient department.

Conclusion:

BIRDEM is a role model for medically related institution. If they can smoothly continue their adorable progress on treatment and rehabilitation of diabetes and endocrine disease, one day there will be no diabetic patient be left undiagnosed, Untreated, unattended or unemployed. This is the dream of late Dr. M. Ibrahim who was the organizer of BIRDEM.