Set up first AIDS hospital in Ctg
Experts have suggested transforming Central Skin and Social Hygiene Centre (CSSHC) into the country's first AIDS hospital, as people in Chittagong are more vulnerable to this sexually transmitted disease.
"The first case of HIV/AIDS in the country was detected in Chittagong…geographic location and historic realities have exposed the people of the port city to all venereal diseases including AIDS," Professor Dr M A Foyez, former director general of Health Services, told BSS.
He added that besides being country's main seaport, Chittagong was also bordered by some regions of neighbouring India and Myanmar where the HIV infections are highly prevalent.
"So the risk of spreading of the disease in the district is comparatively higher than that in other parts of the country," he said.
His comments came as officials said a proposal was sent to the health ministry suggesting that CSSHC be turned into a specialised hospital for HIV/AIDS treatment, because it has been already treating patients with HIV since its first detection in 2000.
"We have proposed the CSSHC to be turned into a hospital with 20 beds," ruling Awami League lawmaker MA Latif supplemented the officials.
Community health experts and medical practitioners said the then government decided to set up the CSSHC at Agrabad area 60 years ago, as the city was exposed to the dangers of spread of venereal diseases carried by local and foreign mariners.
Once known as American Hospital, the centre was set up under the joint supervision of the US Government and World Health Organization (WHO) as per the International Brussels Act, 1952.
The act had facilitated the simultaneous installation of four such identical facility centers in Southeast Asia.
So long, the CSSHC, remains as the only specialised hospital for dermatological and venereal diseases in Chittagong region.
At the inception of the CSSHC, only the mariners from home and abroad used to take the treatment of leprosy, dermatological, and venereal diseases under the supervision of American physicians. Later, it was made open to all.
At present, around 400 outer patients are being treated at the CSSHC and the students of FCPS second part attend one-year training course in this institution.
At present, various dermatological diseases including scabies, impetigo, eczema, tenia, psoriasis, articaria, acne, vitiligo, syphilis, gonorrhoea, and cancroids are treated here.
Dr Sheikh Shafiul Azam, Chittagong unit president of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), told BSS that they had sent a proposal to the ministry to upgrade CSSHC to ''Institute of Dermatology and Venereal Diseases (IDVD).''
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