Message: Chief Patron of ICPPB

The beginning of the Infection Control and Prevention Program in Bangladesh (ICPPB) has a unique background story of international collaboration and friendship. An American physician of Ukrainian decent, a professor of Medical College of Pennsylvania, Drexel University College of Medicine Dr. Oksana Korzenewski died prematurely due to ovarian cancer. Her husband Mr. Lee Rudakewitz raised some funds in her memoriam to initiate an infectious disease project in Ukraine. After few years of his futile attempt, I had approached him to offer my service to honor the friendship of Oksana to initiate an infection control project in Bangladesh. Since Bangladesh did not have infectious disease specialties, infection control practice and infectious disease management seminar became a timely project.

The first International Dr.Korzenewski infection control seminar in 2005 was beginning of an era with a very successful seminar and formation of ICPPB and a funding. Dr. Muhammed M. Zaman, infectious disease specialists of New York supported me by painstakingly creating the whole unique curriculum and delivered most lectures of the 3 day seminar. Mr. Lee Rudakewitz also passionately accompanied us to Bangladesh. Many senior physicians and nurses from all the major institutes from the capital city Dhaka participated in the training the trainers seminar. We had provided 50 power point lectures in CD, books on infection management to all participants. A library of infectious disease named after Dr. Korzenewski was established at a space donated by Prof. Azad Khan in Ibrahim Medical College. Twelve TV/DVD set were donated to all major institutions to watch DVD on infection control and other CME.

The newly formed ICPPB headed by its President Dr. Zahidul Hasan of Square Hospital and General Secretary Dr. Mohammad Murshed of Holy Family Hospital along with an excellent team members launched the ongoing program immediately after the seminar.

Over the next 12 months they had visited 12 major institutions, delivered lectures on importance and methods of infection control, initiated collecting data for creating antibiogram, sharing information with others in all over the country. Many enthusiastic physicians immediately started to use the lectures from the CD for training at their institutions.
The second 3 days international Dr Korzenewski infection control seminar in 2006 was a much bigger event. This was funded by Drexel University College of Medicine. In addition to me and Dr. Mohammed M Zaman, other infectious disease specialists Dr. Mashiul Chowdhury of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Dr. Mohammed Alam and Dr. Reza Chowdhury of New York also participated as speakers and organizers. This time about 200 physicians and nurses participated in the seminar. Important officials including Health Minister, DG health, Medical director of WHO not only attended the seminar but also promised support to establish national policy on the issue. National media highlighted the seminar and the awareness of the Infection control and management was clearly on rise. The ICPPB team continued their ongoing activities.

My colleagues from USA also presented posters and delivered lectures at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on management of HIV infection and a seminar at ICDDRB on infection control.

In 2007, ICPPB also arranged training of the head nurses and ID nurses, arranged visiting lecture by Dr. Tabriz of Chicago, who also donated books on infectious diseases. Dr. Anwar a microbiologist from New York contributed books and materials to improve laboratory medicine.

The goal of ICPPB is to achieve an international standard of practice in infection management in Bangladesh. Ongoing support by Bangladeshi physicians and the government is the key to the success of the project. The collaboration with Drexel University and other institutions in USA will be sought to continue support until a full service infection control is established in Bangladesh.

I express my sincere gratitude to all the physicians and nurses who had supported this unique mission and inspired others to create a state of art health care environment in Bangladesh.

Ziauddin Ahmed, M.D.FACP
Associate Professor of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine
Chief Patron, ICPPB