Professor Mohammad Ibrahim (1911-1989) was a celebrated physician, a gifted teacher, a talented organizer, and a great reformer. His contributions in the field of medicine in general, and diabetes in particular, have been nothing less than phenomenal. He spent the major part of his life in key positions in government health services. He was the founder of Diabetic Association in Dhaka (1956), and in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan (1964).
Prof Ibrahim realized that diabetes is a disease where not only doctors, but also patients should be involved in the treatment. He termed it socio-medical care. Although the real extent of the problem of diabetes was not evident in our part of the world, he could foresee the present picture at that time and organized a group of social workers, philanthropists and professionals. With their help he established Diabetic Association of Pakistan on February 28, 1956.
Diabetic care was started in a tin-shed building at Segun Bagicha with only 23 patients. Dr Ibrahim's motto was, "No diabetic patient should die untreated or unfed even if they are poor." So, he gave primary care to the diabetic patients free of cost. Even rich patients were not allowed to pay for primary diabetic care, but they could donate money to the association. The funds were raised through motivation programmes.
In 1980, he established the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (Birdem) in Dhaka, to which the out-patients centre of the Bangladesh Diabetic Association was shifted. To develop trained and specialized manpower, he also established an academy in Birdem for postgraduate education in diabetes, endocrine and metabolism.
Birdem has been acclaimed as a model for South East Asia. In recognition of its innovative, extensive and high quality service it was designated in 1982 as a "WHO-Collaborating Centre for Developing Community-oriented Programmes for Prevention and Control of Diabetes." It is the first such centre in Asia.
Dr Ibrahim insisted on the importance of quality service provided to patients. He used to tell patients: "We are grateful to you for giving us the opportunity to serve." He had deep empathy and compassion when dealing with patients, especially those who were poor and in pain. This motivated other doctors to serve patients with empathy.
He included social welfare, health education, nutritional education, and rehabilitation in the diabetes healthcare delivery system. He always believed that the way an institution achieves excellence, is neither by bricks and mortar, nor by machine or metal, but by its human resources. He spent all his life developing such talented human resources.
Dr Mohammad Ibrahim died on September 6, 1989. His death anniversary is observed as Diabetic Service Day to honour his great contributions to socio-medicare services
For over three decades, Dr Ibrahim raised awareness about diabetes through free-of-cost quality services, health education, and motivation. He also established the Bangladesh Institute of Research and Training for Applied Nutrition (BIRTAN) and Rehabilitation and Vocational Training Centre (RVTC) in Dhaka to develop low-cost nutrition, and to give vocational training to poor and unemployed diabetics.
He also set up a family planning section at Birdem for motivational work. His involvement began as a founder member of the Family Planning Association of Bangladesh, which first started its programme in the mid-fifties.
He made an impact as the adviser to the president, with the rank of minister in-charge of the Ministry of Health and Population Control, Social Welfare in the mid-1970's. He was instrumental in formulating the population control policy of the government for the first time and introduced the National Population Council.
Following the guidance and philosophy of its founder the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh has upheld its motto to serve all people with affordable health care service. The association has set some targets and objectives as its mission. These include, inter alia, providing total healthcare including prevention, control, and rehabilitation for all diabetics through different institutions of the association; expanding these services to provide affordable BADAS healthcare through self-sustaining centres of excellence; developing human resources; creating specialized, quality manpower (physicians, technicians, nurses, etc) of high ethical standards for manning these institutions; developing leadership in healthcare through dedicated and transparent management system; developing industries for diabetic and health foods; and manufacturing medicines.
Diabetes care centres have now been established in and around Dhaka and also all over the country with local entrepreneurs. There are 63 branches in district headquarters and 14 sub-affiliated centres at the upazilla level.
Dr Mohammad Ibrahim died on September 6, 1989. His death anniversary is observed as Diabetic Service Day to honour his great contributions to socio-medicare services. Birdem is housed in two large buildings, named the Ibrahim Memorial Diabetes Centre after his death.
Dr Muhammad Abdul Mazid, former Secretary to government, former Chairman NBR, and National Council Member, Bangladesh Diabetes Association.
