Prof. Dr. Md.
Head, Dept of Community Medicine
Dhaka Medical College
The Department of Community Medicine of Dhaka Medical College is situated in the level 3 of college building. The unique feature of the department is community-oriented as well as one month community-based medical education with a view to produce community physicians and the potential service providers. Community Medicine covers Public Health, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Teaching Metho-dology and Research Methodology for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The objective of teaching Community Medicine is to produce community physicians to meet community health needs and demands of the country. A community physician is able to provide comprehensive health care, to deliver Primary Health Care (PHC) and Essential Service Package (ESP), to conduct epidemiological studies on common health problems, to carry out health education sessions in the community, and has intention to work as a member of health team.
Bsides, s/he has to become accustomed with the environment and lifestyle of people of rural community, to conduct survey based on health needs and problems of the community, to be acquainted with health care delivery system at primary health care level in Bangladesh and to develop capacity for inter-sectoral co-ordination.
Moreover, s/he has to able to take measures to identify health needs and health problems of the community and prioritize them, to know about to meet health needs and health demands, to collect socio-economic data from the community and compile them, to manage mass casualty incident and to conduct community-based research work and to write scientific report.
The department is intended to achieve the objective through community-oriented as well as community-based teaching. Community-based teaching is carried out through Day Visit, Residential Field Site Teaching (RFST) programme and Study Tour. Day visits are conducted through visits to nearby health and health-related organizations with vast academic interest to make aware students with regard to ongoing health programmes with modes of service delivery, while Residential Field Site Teaching (RFST) programme is to orient students regarding common community health problems with measures directed to prevent and control those health problems.
Upazila Health Complex, Sreepur, Gazipur with two dormitories for male and female students is earmarked for conducting Residential Field Site Training (RFST) Programme for Dhaka Medical College. Day visits, RFST and Study Tour are designed for 10 days’ apiece. Students enjoy these community-based teaching a lot.
RFST Programme for 3rd year MBBS students is an integral part of the curriculum of Community Medicine. Head of the Department of Community Medicine will implement the programme as a coordinator. Teachers of the Community Medicine assisted by Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UHFPO), RMO (Resident Medical Officer), Medical Officer (MCH-FP) and other auxiliary workers of Upazila Health Complex (UHC) like Health Assistant (HA), Family Welfare Assistant (FWA), Medical Technologist (EPI, Laboratory, Dispensary), Family Welfare Visitor (FWV), Statistician, Upazila Sanitary and Food Safety Inspector contribute for successful implementation of the programme. Health Educator of Community Medicine will organize field level activities designed for the students.
The Department of Community Medicine offers Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) programme in Community Medicine under Bangubandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). Medical graduates of young generation are showing much interest regarding building their career in Public Health.
Profile of Professor
Md. Shahidul Basher
Professor Md. Shahidul Basher, Head of the Department of Community Medicine of DMC, comes of a noble Muslim family at village Karnasuty in Kamarkhand upazila under Sirajganj district. He completed SSC from Jamtoil Dhopakandi Multilateral High School, HSC from Rajshai Government College under Rajshahi Board. He was graduated from Rajshahi Medical College under Rajshahi University and achieved postgraduation degrees in Public Health, DPH and M.Phil. (PSM) from National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) under Dhaka University.
Professor Basher joined government health service in 1983, and experienced in working at primary healthcare level for over 10 years. He served at Upazila Health Complex (UHC), Chatmohor, Atghoria and Ishurdi of Pabna district and at UHC, Bagatipara of Natore district. In addition to duties at Out-patient, In-patient and Emergency departments, during the tenure he was entrusted with responsibilities for Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), control of Diarrhoeal Diseases and Kala-azar programs at UHC.
Dr. Basher is vastly experienced in field-based activities of government health services as well as in working with community level health and family planning workers. He was first posted at UHC, Chatmohor, and worked for 6 years.
For his sincere services, people from all walks of life of Chatmohor Upazila have still maintained a good relation with him. He is the author of fifty scientific papers published in reputed journals at home and abroad.
Prior his joining to DMC, Professor Basher joined the Department of Community Medicine of Mymensingh Medical College as lecturer of the department. He has been teaching Community Medicine since 1993. He served at Mymensingh Medical College, Rangpur Medical College and Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College as a teacher of Community Medicine at different capacities. Professor Basher is devoted to teach his undergraduate and post-graduate students with utmost sincerity and with great interest. Dr. Basher hates skipping classes and depriving students from learning.
