National Prof MR Khan passes away

National Professor MR Khan passed away at the age of 88 at a hospital in Dhaka this afternoon.

Prof Khan, who was a child specialist, breathed his last at 4:25pm at Central Hospital in the capital, reports Bangla daily Prothom Alo.

The country's pioneer paediatric surgeon, Prof Khan, was suffering from several old age complications and undergoing treatment at intensive care unit of the hospital.

Dr Khan was born on August 1, 1928, in Rasulpur of Satkhira. He was graduated (MBBS) from Calcutta Medical College in 1952.

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He got his post graduation degree (DT&MH) from Edinburgh, UK in 1957, DCH from London in 1957, MRCP from Edinburgh in 1962, FCPS from Bangladesh in 1974 and FRCP from Edinburgh in 1978.

The Institute of Child Health (ICH) and Shishu Hospital set up by Prof Khan under the guidance of Shishu Sasthya Foundation Bangladesh (SSFB) is an example of his concern for children.

His involvement with life and society is total and he retains the enthusiasm of youth as he pursues his dreams. He was a tireless worker.

For setting up Shishu Hospital and Rasulpur Secondary School in his birthplace (Satkhira), Prof Khan donated the paternal land he owned as well as the pension and gratuity money he got after retirement from service.

Dr Khan joined public service in 1963 in Dhaka Medical College as an associate professor and retired as a professor of Pediatrics IPGM&R in 1988.

He was the founder president of Bangladesh Pediatric Association.

He was a Senior Visiting Professor of ICDDR,B since 1989; Professor and Founder Director and Chairman of the Institute of Child Health and Shishu Hospital, Mirpur, Dhaka.

He was the chairman of Polio Eradication Certification Committee of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh.

He was the first introducer of vaccines against Polio, Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus in Bangladesh in January, 1965.

For his outstanding contribution in the field of health and social development, he has been awarded - Gold Medal for Social Work, Ministry of Social Welfare in 1999

He was honoured with Moulana Bhashani Gold Medal for outstanding work for child health in 1994 and Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam National Award and Gold Medal in 1993.

Professor Khan's biography has been included in the International WHO is WHO of Intellectuals (7th edition) published by Biographical Centre (IBC) Camridge, UK in 1997.