As the sun sets on 2025, I find myself reflecting on a year that has been truly transformative—not just for me personally, but for the community we serve here in Dhaka.
On February 17, 2025, we opened the doors to Children’s Gastroliver Center (CGC) with a singular vision: to provide ethical, specialized, and evidence-based pediatric gastroenterology care in a child-friendly environment. As we close our first year, I am humbled by the trust parents have placed in us.
Bringing Global Standards to Dhaka
My commitment has always been to ensure that children in Bangladesh receive the same standard of care found in the world’s leading medical centers. To that end, 2025 was a year of immense global learning:
- World Congress in Melbourne: Representing our practice at the World Congress of Gastroenterology in Australia allowed me to bring back the latest international protocols for digestive health.
- Specialized Liver Care: Participating in the Liver Transplantation Workshop in Kuala Lumpur and the PEGASUS-APSPGHAN Masterclass in Indonesia has deepened our center's expertise in managing complex neonatal and pediatric liver diseases.
- Safety First: Completing the ESPGHAN course on managing "Foreign Body Ingestion" ensures that we remain at the cutting edge of pediatric emergency diagnostics.
Advancing Science and Leadership
Clinical care must be backed by research. This year, I was honored to publish our findings on "Upper GI endoscopy in children with Helicobacter pylori Infection" in the journal Gastroenterology & Endoscopy. This six-year retrospective review provides critical insights into how we diagnose and treat stomach infections in our local population.
Beyond the clinic, I was privileged to be elected as the International Affairs Secretary of BASPGAN (Bangladesh Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition) and became an individual member of the World Endoscopy Organization (WEO). These roles allow me to advocate for better pediatric health standards both locally and globally.
Our Promise for 2026
While the conferences and publications are milestones, the true reward remains the smile of a child who is finally free from chronic pain or digestive distress.
At Children’s Gastroliver Center, we remain dedicated to our core values:
- Transparency: No hidden commissions or unnecessary tests.
- Ethics: Clinical decisions based solely on your child’s wellbeing.
- Privacy: Protecting your family's medical data at every step.
Thank you for being part of our journey in 2025. We look forward to serving you with even greater dedication in the coming year.
Dr. Rafia Rashid FCPS (Paediatrics), FCPS (Paediatric Gastroenterology), International Affairs Secretary, BASPGAN