Founder / Chairperson, Bangladesh Palliative
and Supportive Care Foundation
Dhaka, Bangladesh

E-mail: rumanadowla@hotmail.com
Skype: rumana.dowla

Dr. Rumana Dowla’s vision is to create a palliative care service which is culturally acceptable, appropriate, sustainable and affordable for the people of Bangladesh. She believes this vision can be realized by building a strong “Network” between existing health care providers and palliative trained personnel along with community participation through awareness and training of interdisciplinary groups of physicians, nurses, social workers, volunteers etc.. Public Health and Palliative Care can create an ideal integrated community based service for people with life limiting conditions.

Download and Read Rumana’s Personal Story (200 KB)

Other Appointments

• External Faculty, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  Consultant, Palliative Medicine, United Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  Hon. Consultant, Palliative Medicine National Institute of Cancer Research Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Key Accomplishments

• Instituted the Nurse Aide training at Bangladesh Palliative And Supportive Care Foundation, 2012
• Inauguration of Palliative Care Beds (four beds) at NICRH (National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital) by Honourable Health Minister Prof Ruhul Haque – instrumental in designing the care along with Director NICRH
• Human Chain at Press Club to celebrate ‘World Hospice And Palliative Care Day’ and coordinated CME at NICRH, Oct. 2011
• Coordinated Press Conference and CME programmes ‘Palliative Care in Developing Country’ and ‘Developing Palliative Medicine in Bangladesh,’ 2011
• Palliative Care Awareness programme with the Rotarians at Dhaka Sheraton, 2010
• Founder / Chairperson, Bangladesh Palliative and Supportive Care Foundation, 2010
• Coordinated UICC workshop on Childhood Cancer and Palliative Care at four hospitals in Dhaka and two Districts in Bangladesh, 2007
• One Day Introduction to Palliative Care organized with ASHIC Foundation, 2006

Education / Honors

• Graduate, International Palliative Care Leadership Development Initiative, The Institute for Palliative Medicine at San Diego Hospice, San Diego, CA, and OhioHealth, Columbus, Ohio, USA, 2012-2014
• Recipient of Who’s Who ‘Women Leaders’, 2011
• First place in debate IAPCON2011 at Lucknow, India (Topic: Euthanasia), 2011
• MSc Palliative Medicine Phase III (Thesis), Cardiff University, UK, 2010
• Diploma Palliative Medicine, Cardiff University, UK, 2009-2010
• First place in debate at IAPCON2009 in New Delhi, India (Topic: Morphine addiction), 2009
• Commonwealth Scholarship for MSc Palliative Medicine, Cardiff, UK, 2008
• APHN Diploma in Palliative Medicine, Asia Pacific Hospice Network, Dept. of Palliative Medicine at
  National Cancer Centre, Singapore, 2007
• Grad Cert (PALLCARE) Graduate Certificate in Palliative Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide Australia (joint initiative with National Cancer Centre, Singapore), 2006-2007
• APHN-Lien Foundation Fellowship Scholarship, Flinders, Australia, 2006
• MPH (Masters in Public Health) Community Medicine. (CM), NIPSOM (National Institute For Preventive and Social Medicine), Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003-2004
• Core-Module, MSc (Masters of Science )Mother and Child Health (MCH), CICH (Centre for International Child Health), ICH, UCL(University College of London); London, UK, 2002
• MBBS (Bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery), LHMC (Lady Hardinge Medical College), New Delhi, India, 1985-1989

Key Publications
Journal articles

• May 2009 :Breast Care Guideline (565 KB)
• Love R,Hossain M, Dowla R at.al .Clinical practice guidelines for breast cancer in Bangladesh .Cancer Control.2009; Vol.5(2) pp 9-11.
• Dowla R, Akhter P.S.kamal.M. Introduction to Pain and Palliative Care Unit at Medical Oncology of NICRH 2006-2007
• Dissertation : Knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus under 18 years-An intervention study; NIPSOM 2004

Key Presentations

• Amader Gram Breast Cancer Palliation – Phase I at Oncology update at NICRH, December, 2011
• Overview of Palliative Care in Bangladesh at NICRH, October, 2011
• Audit of Pain and Palliative Unit at NICRH Dhaka, at Public Health Palliative Care Conference, Dhaka, 2011
• Pain and Palliative care unit – 10 month report JBPCON, November, 2008
• Introduction to Pain and Palliative Care unit at WHO-NICRH seminar, May, 2008
• Knowledge Regarding Diabetes Mellitus in children below 18; An Intervention study, Diabetes and Endocrine Conference, 2006
• Audit of Pain and Palliative Unit in Dhaka at IAPCON – Lucknow, 2011
• AmaderGram Breast Cancer palliation Study Phase I – Dowla R, Ahmed I-Penang, APHC, 2010
• Pain and Palliative Care Unit -20 month Report – IAPCON, New Delhi, India, 2009
• Pain and Palliative Care Unit -10 month report KOCHIPALLCON, Kochin, India, 2008
• Education in Children with diabetes mellitus, Paed. Diabetology, Singapore, 2005

Resources

• Bangladesh Palliative And Supportive Care Foundation
• Amader Gram Breast Cancer Palliation Study
• Share Your Story
• International Association of Hospice And Palliative Care
• International Symposium on Cancer Care and Research
• Dr. Rumana Dowla, MBBS, MPH, MSc., 16 Oct 2010 – The Daily Star. Your Right To Know Tuesday, January 17, 2012, Dr Rumana Dowla. The word “Palliative Care” may be new to many of us but…
• Mobile apps created in Cudahy Hall are poised to improve breast cancer care in rural Asia (550 KB). That can make a huge difference to women who can’t easily leave home, explains Dr. Rumana Dowla, a Bangladesh- based palliative care specialist
• Call for inclusion of palliative care in health programme, Block all results, 21 Mar 2011 – Harvard Medical School International Programme Director Prof Dr Erik Krauer presented a keynote speech while Dr Rumana Dowla,
• RESULTS – International Symposium – Harvard School of Public, International Symposium, Rajendra Badwe Breast Cancer Foundation, Singapore Christine Ang Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences Hospital, Bangladesh Rumana Dowla
• Asia Pacific Hospice Network
• Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance
• www.IPCRC.net