DBLM Hospital – A Centre for Specialized Leprosy Complication Management
Danish-Bangladesh Leprosy Mission (DBLM) was established in 1977 by Danish Lutheran Mission, which was a component of a larger leprosy control initiative encompassing four districts-Nilphamari, Rangpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagar in northern part of Bangladesh. Over the years, DBLM Hospital has established itself as a specialized organisation providing leprosy care services in Bangladesh.
It is a centre of excellence and learning that delivers quality comprehensive care to the people suffering with leprosy complications in order to reduce the burden of leprosy-related disability and complications for all the individuals referred to DBLM hospital.
The hospital receives referrals from across the country. Every year DBLM Hospital admits about 1,150 leprosy patients. Besides that, it also maintains an Out Patient Department for treating general diseases, where it receives on an average 18,000 general patients each year.
Though hospital is located in an endemic area (high leprosy prevalence e.g. 1.7 per 10,000 in Nilphamari upto Dec 2018.) a big number of people affected by Leprosy of entire country depend on DBLM hospital for its specialized services, facilities and expertise for transformation of their lives.
The hospital facilities include a surgical unit, physiotherapy unit, laboratory, and assistive device unit and gained trust from “people affected by Leprosy” and recognition from Govt. of Bangladesh as the 2nd highest referral organization for the persons affected by leprosy. Additionally, it runs an outpatient department for general medical services, ensuring affordable primary care for the local community.