Japan Bangladesh Relationship Development Activities
- In October 1991, he was enrolled in the Ph.D course in Orthopedic Surgery as an Orthopedic Research Fellow at Yamagata University School of Medicine with Monbusho Scholarship from the Japanese Government.
- As a representative of Yamagata University Dr. Md. Ekhlasur Rahman participated in the World Congress of Hand Surgeons seminar held in France in 1992.
- He came to Bangladesh in 1992 with a team of orthopedic doctors from Yamagata University.
- In 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, he provided free treatment to patients with the help of orthopedic team doctors through advertisement in Dhaka city.
- Since 1994, his various research works have been published in several international journals.
- Completed PhD course in March 1996 and did Post-Doctoral Clinical Training.
- Prof. Dr. Oshima, Dr. Makoto Hamasaki, Dr. Samoto an expert team of doctors including came to Bangladesh in 1996 and dreamed of establishing a world-class hospital in Bangladesh. The purpose of establishing this hospital was 2. (1) Providing world class services at low cost to the citizens of Bangladesh. (2) Ensuring health care for Japanese nationals in Bangladesh; And for this purpose, Lalmatia established a small-scale ‘Yamagata Dhaka Friendship Hospital (YDFH)’ in a rented house with the help of specialist doctors from Yamagata University. Currently it is being shifted to its own building at Banasree, Plot-23, Block-H, Avenue-8, on a large scale.
- He was appointed as Medical Advisor by JICA in Bangladesh in 1999 and is still in charge.
Other Activities
1.Training :
- Every year, expert doctors come from Japan to train local doctors. Again some doctors from Bangladesh have been trained in Japan.
- In 2002, Japanese nurses from Yamagata Saiseikai Hospital in Japan stayed in Bangladesh as volunteers at their own expense and trained YDFH nurses for about two years. In addition, a Japanese nurse has been training Bangladeshi nurses since 2012 and providing support to Japanese patients in medical care.
- In 2005, the training program for Bangladeshi doctors started at Tamatsukuri Kousei Nenkin Hospital in Japan.
- Since 1999, through Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV), JICA Medical Advisory & Referral Hospital in collaboration with YDFH, Japanese nationals working in various professions in Bangladesh, such as JICA, Japan Embassy, JETRO, Metrorail, TOA Corporation, Sumitmo Corporation , Mitsubishi Heavy, Mitsubishi Power, OTJ etc. have been providing medical services to Japanese nationals working in companies.
2.Create support groups:
- In 1998 Dr. Hamasaki, Prof. Watanabe and Prof. Oshima along with other doctors and other Japanese citizens formed the ‘Yamagata Dhaka Friendship Hospital Supporters Group’ in Yamagata city. The tasks of this group are:
– To arrange training of YDFH doctors and to arrange for Japanese doctors to come and go to Bangladesh.
– Transporting Bangladeshi patients to Japan for treatment of complex diseases.
– Every year orthopedic doctors of Bangladesh are given clinical training through the conference of Japan Orthopedic Association in Japan.
– Conduct annual general meeting (AGM) of YDFH in Japan by preparing annual report stating its activities.
– In 2004, Yamagata Supporters Group informed the Japanese citizens staying in Dhaka in the presence of the Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh about the activities of Yamagata Dhaka Friendship Hospital and Supporters Group.
3.Notable service activities:
- Since 1998, Japan Cleftlip Palate Foundation has been organizing operations and training of doctors in different regions of Bangladesh.
- Since 1999, Asia Arsenic Network (a Japanese NGO) and JICA have started treatment programs and research programs for arsenic patients. It is presented in national and international seminars.
- In 2000, Japanese missionary hospital Nagano New Life Hospital affiliated with YDFH of Bangladesh, Bogra Christian Mission Hospital in Bangladesh, Rajshahi Christian Mission Hospital, Haluaghat Jayarampura Christian Mission Hospital in Mymensingh conducted treatment programs. Patients who cannot undergo surgery there, are brought to YDFH in Dhaka and given necessary medical care including surgery.
- In 2013, Prof. Watanabe, Nutritional Department of Hyogo University, Japan. Nutritional Status Study of School Going Children was conducted under the supervision of Watanabe. Apart from this, activities were taken to introduce the system of Health Insurance.
- Financial assistance to poor patients and installment payment system for indigent patients is ongoing while maintaining the same standard of care for all.
- In 2015, an MOU was signed with the Medical Faculty of Yamagata University. Under this agreement, exchange programs for doctors and research facilities are launched.
4.Award Received :
- Dr. Md. Ekhlasur Rahman, Chairman, Yamagata Dhaka Friendship Hospital, received the “Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Ray” award. The conferral is in recognition of his great contribution to the development of friendly relations in the field of medicine between Japan and Bangladesh.
- Yamagata Dhaka Friendship Hospital was awarded the JICA President Award-2020 by JICA in 2020 for its long-standing association with JICA and providing good medical care to Japanese citizens in Bangladesh.
- In recognition of the contribution of mutual cooperation and genuine friendship between Japan and Bangladesh in 2015, Yamagata City Mayor Dr. Md. Certificate of Commendation was given to Ekhlasur Rahman.
- In December 2019, this hospital in Lalmatia was shifted to a permanent building in Banasree. Japanese Ambassador of Bangladesh, Head of JICA Bangladesh Office, orthopedic, neurosurgery, plastic surgery and maxillofacial surgery doctors from Japan and dignitaries of other Japanese organizations in Bangladesh were present in the opening ceremony. The Deputy Chief of Japan’s Saiseikai Hospital recognized this hospital as the 82nd Saiseikai Hospital branch (the first hospital outside of Japan). The process of transforming this hospital has been somewhat halted due to the Corona situation, but its operations are currently ongoing.
Contact
Plot No.-23, Road 3, Avenue 8
Block H, Banasree, Dhaka-1219
Bangladesh
For Japanese Patient
Dr. Md. Ekhlasur Rahman
Phone: 018-1921-8902
Email: ekhlas@bdmail.net
Ms. Reiko Koyabashi
Phone: 017-5409-4224
Email: lokhipur.89.bang@gmail.com
For Bangladeshi Patient
Hospital Phone: 018-7606-9762,
018-7606-9763
Email: ydfh1997.bd@gmail.com