Col A K M Johirul Hossain Khan
MPH, MBBS
Director of DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital
Background History:
DNCC Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital, Mohakhali, Dhaka established on 7.17 acre of land. It’s area is 1 lakh 80 tousands 560 square feet. It is a six-storied well spaced building having 4 blocks on each floor which was built to operate as a modern commercial market in the year 2012. It was planned that the vacant underused big facilities will be utilized as 1500 bedded COVID-19 Isolation Center. Accordingly Government tasked Armed Forces Division to establish 1500 bedded COVID-19 Isolation Center on 23 May 2020. Armed Forces Division took a decision on 01 July 2020 to deploy Armed Forces Personnel to run this Isolation Center to augment Government effort in combating COVID-19. Due to improvement COVID-19 situation on 19 July 2020, Government decideded to run this center as COVID-19 RT-PCR sample test center for employees working aboard. On 24 March 2021 due to worsening situation of 2nd wave of the COVID-19, it was decided by the Government to convert this center into the largest COVID-19 patient management center in the country.
An extensive programe was taken to convert the market into a COVID-19 patient management center having 212 ICU beds, 288 HDU and 554 General beds capacity Hospital. Accordingly, a group of devoted military officers and energetic engineers from health engineering department, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under Brig Gen Bashir Ahmed worked day and night to turn this building into a Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital within 20 days. Task of reconstruction, renovation, medical gas system, firefighting system, collection of heavy medical equipment, medicine, other logistics, the establishment of the pathological lab, X-ray, CT Scan, manpower arrangement accomplished to make this establishment for receiving emergency and seriously ill Covid-19 infected patients. Normally a hospital starts with OPD, Emergency and Operation Service then ICU Service. Here we have started ICU and Emergency Service from the very first day of inauguration on 19 April 2021.
Special Thanks:
Honorable Minister of Ministry of Health and Family welfare Mr. Zahid Malek MP is so kind to provide all manpower, budget, medical equipment and medicine to run this hospital. Honorable Mayor of DNCC Mr. Atiqul Islam and his respectful councilors are so generous to hand over this big building structure to use as Dedicated Covid-19 hospital. Respected previous Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, SBP (BAR), BSP, BGBM, PBGM, BGBMS, psc, G, PhD. and present Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, SBP, OSP, ndu, psc, PhD are so generous to guide us to lead this hospital for the sack of life-saving treatment of our people in a devastating situation like Covid-19 pandemic. We are extremely delighted and express our heartiest gratitude to the Honorable Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, H’ble Mayor, both the respected Chief of Army Staffs and all other senior government officials for their continuous guidance and support to make our journey easier.
Commitment:
Over the last few months, the physicians and staff of DNCC dedicated Covid-19 Hospital (DDCH) proved that during crisis they are resourceful, relent, and focused on the mission. As the largest Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital in the country, we feel a deep sense of pride and commitment to all those who place their trust in our care and support. Our primary focus is to deliver dedicated care that qualify national standards in quality, safety, and client satisfaction, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic situation.
Suggestion & Hope:
It is strongly suggested everyone put on the mask while outside their home, keep distancing, and get vaccinated when they are eligible and given an opportunity to achieve herd immunity and finally end the fight against Covid-19. Also, we are hopeful for a return to our new normal life. The road to recovery will not happen overnight but as we go through that journey we continue to improve our facilities bringing the improvement in medical technology for our clients and keep our team committed to the patient’s will being.
We will build capacity to meet the needs of our evolving community by growing our talented and energetic workforce. When you and your loved ones need a Covid-19 Hospital, keep trust on us. We look forward to working alongside our community members and patients as partners to ensure a new era of high-quality health care services.