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Dr Garst, a true friend of Bangladesh

ZAMKhajruzzaman
A recent message of the father of orthopaedics in Bangladesh. Dr R J Garst has created great enthusiasm and become a source of inspiration for both the professional surgeons and fraindcs. Pr^^ior and head of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery Department of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) Dr Md Amjad Hossain told this correspondent last week.
The message was sent to him ahead of a CME (Continuous Medical Education) on Musculoskeletal disorders and promotion of 'The bone and joint decade 2000-2010’ scheduled to be held on the 26th and 27th July at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The message is as follows - -"I wish to congratulate you on having a CME on 'Musculoskeletal disorders.' I see Prof TK Shanmugasundaram is attending from India. Please give him my best regards.
In reading my latest Bulletin from the American College of Surgeons I came to a shocking article (Vol 89, Num 6 pg 16). The author states, "today's trainees (residents in surgery) receive an extremely poor educational experience.’ He further states that an innovative change in surgical education is necessary. He goes on to describe a programme called the M+M Matrix as done at the Cedars-Sinai Centre in Los Angeles, California. The M+M refers to the traditional Morbidity and Mortality conferences held throughout the USA which the author considered of little value in training.
The "M+M Matrix" which he described is exactly the daily conference we established in National Institute of TYaumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) in 1972 and has continued. In Los Angeles they have it only once a week while we had it daily.
Dr Garst (full name Dr Ronald Joshep Garst) was born in Tennessee of the United States. After graduation he completed the board examination as an orthopaedic surgeon. In 1953, he joined the Christian Missionaries in the. Indian Iqwrh of- Ludhiana and worked as Associate) Professor of Orthopaedics and Superintendent of Ludhiana Christian Medical College till 1971.
Being worried by the devasting war. Dr Garst came forward in aid of war wounded people and continued to render his invaluable service. At that he had come across the then special envoy of the Ban-gladeshgovemment in exile.
Observing his ability and interest to treat the war injured freedom fighters in war camps. Justice Abu Syeed Chowdhury invited Dr Garst to visit Bangladesh seeking his cooperation in treating the disabled freedom fighters.
Dr Garst’s affection for the war-wounded freedom fighters brought him to Bangladesh on February 28, 1972. At the direct patronisation of the then government, Dr Garst had set up makeshift rehabilitation camps for the disabled freedom fighters at Mohammadpur College Gate and Shaheed Sulirawardy Hospital at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
Hestayed in Bangladesh till 1981 extending his services to the dLs-abled freedom fighters and largely developing the country's Orthopaedic treatment facilities. He founded the Rehabilitation Institute and Hospital for the Disabled (RIHD), now named NITOR and worked there as its Project Director on monthly remuneration of one taka only. MS and Diploma in Orthopaedics were also introduced under Dhaka University at his own efforts.
But how many people in our country know the name of this humanitarian and great philanthropist? The entire nation is indebted to this noble man and a true friend of Bangladesh.