Dr Zafrullah no more

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder and freedom fighter Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury has died at the age of 81. He breathed his last at 10:40pm on Tuesday.

He was admitted to Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in the capital’s Dhanmondi area on April 4 as his health condition deteriorated.

Later, the hospital authorities formed a medical board to ensure his proper treatment on Sunday.

He was put on life support on Monday.

Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital's chief coordinator Brigadier General (Retd.) Mamun Mostafi said the medical board convened for a regular meeting at 10:00 am on Tuesday. Specialist physicians of different departments were present at the meeting.

Mamun Mostafi also said the physicians started dialysing his kidneys around 2:15pm on Tuesday, in addition to other treatments. He is still on ventilation under close observation.

He was suffering from kidney complications as well as old age complications.

Dr Zafrullah 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.