How Birdem became Bangladesh's frontline institution for diabetes care

Few hospitals in Bangladesh command the level of trust, recognition and public goodwill that Birdem General Hospital has earned over the decades. Established in 1980 under the Bangladesh Diabetic Association (BADAS), the institution emerged with a singular mission: to combat the growing burden of diabetes while ensuring treatment remained accessible to ordinary citizens.

Today, Birdem stands not only as the country's premier specialised diabetes hospital, but also as one of South Asia's most respected centres for treatment, research and medical education.

Its origins, however, were remarkably modest. BADAS began in 1956, and in 1957 launched an outpatient clinic in a roughly 380-square-foot facility at Segunbagicha with only 39 registered patients. Nearly seven decades later, that number has expanded into one of the largest diabetes care networks in the region. Birdem's Shahbagh campus alone now serves around 380,000 registered diabetic patients, while the wider BADAS network reaches approximately 1.4 million registered patients nationwide through dozens of affiliated centres.

Founded by National Professor Dr Mohammad Ibrahim, the institution was built on a humanitarian principle — that quality treatment for chronic illnesses should remain accessible regardless of economic status. At a time when diabetes awareness and treatment facilities were severely limited in Bangladesh, Birdem introduced a structured and affordable system of care that transformed the country's healthcare landscape.

The scale of its operations today reflects the depth of public dependence on the institution. Birdem treats approximately 3,000 patients daily through its outpatient department - the highest diabetes patient volume handled by any hospital in Bangladesh. Of those, roughly 60 to 70 are first-time patients every day, a reflection of the country's rapidly expanding diabetes burden.

That burden has intensified dramatically over the past two decades. According to international diabetes estimates, the number of adults aged between 20 and 79 living with diabetes in Bangladesh has risen from 1.8 million in 2000 to 13.9 million in 2024, with projections suggesting the figure could reach 23.1 million by 2050. Bangladesh now has the second-highest diabetes prevalence in South-East Asia. In 2024 alone, nearly 40% of adults with diabetes remained undiagnosed, while diabetes-related complications contributed to more than 31,000 deaths nationwide.

Against that backdrop, Birdem's role has become increasingly critical.

"Since its establishment, Birdem has played a long-term transformative role in the country's healthcare sector, particularly in diabetes prevention and treatment," said Brigadier General Dr Md Nasir Uddin Ahamed (Rtd), director general of the hospital. "Through this, the institution has contributed significantly to improving people's quality of life and protecting public health."

The hospital currently operates around 700 beds across its two Shahbagh campuses while also functioning as a national referral centre for diabetes and endocrine-related complications. Yet Birdem's contribution extends far beyond patient treatment.

Under its distinctive "cross-financing" model, revenue generated from services provided to non-diabetic patients subsidises healthcare costs for diabetic patients, enabling many lower and middle-income families to receive treatment at reduced cost or free of charge. The approach has long been regarded as one of the institution's defining humanitarian achievements.

Over the decades, Birdem has also emerged as a major centre for medical innovation in Bangladesh. BADAS was the first institution in the country to introduce radioimmunoassay and CT scan technology. Bangladesh's first successful laparoscopic surgery and liver transplant procedures were also performed at Birdem, cementing its reputation as a pioneer in advanced medical care.

Medical education and research remain central to the institution's identity. Established in 1986, Birdem Academy now conducts more than 18 residency and non-residency postgraduate programmes under Dhaka University and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, including MD, MS, MPhil, Diploma and PhD courses. The institution also publishes the BIRDEM Medical Journal, contributing to research on diabetes, endocrinology and metabolic disorders.

"By producing skilled physicians and researchers, Birdem continues to make important contributions to the country's social and economic development," Brigadier General Nasir said. "The institution's role in healthcare education and scientific advancement remains extremely important."

Its achievements have earned both national and international recognition. In 1982, the World Health Organization designated Birdem as a WHO Collaborating Centre for research and training on diabetes, endocrinology and metabolic disorders. A year later, the institution received Bangladesh's Independence Award, one of the country's highest civilian honours.

Yet for many Bangladeshis, Birdem's importance lies not in awards or institutional milestones, but in continuity of care. Generations of families have depended on the hospital for lifelong diabetes management in a country where specialised healthcare often remains financially out of reach.

"Through its highest standards of service, compassion and humane care, Birdem has established itself as one of the country's most trusted healthcare institutions," Brigadier General Nasir said.

More than four decades after the hospital's establishment — and nearly seventy years after a small outpatient clinic first opened in Segunbagicha - Birdem has become far more than a specialised medical facility. It has evolved into a national institution that reshaped public understanding of chronic disease, expanded access to specialised healthcare and demonstrated how medical excellence can coexist with social responsibility.