GD Assist and Aster Pharmacy Bangladesh have jointly organised a free electrocardiogram (ECG) medical camp on World Heart Day, aiming to raise public awareness about cardiovascular health and promote the early detection of heart diseases.
Supported by the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dhaka and Green Delta Insurance PLC, the initiative provided free ECG screening services to community members, including traffic police sergeants.
The programme was sponsored by Dazrok Investments UAE, with Crowne Plaza serving as its hospitality partner.
The day-long medical camp commenced at Gulshan-2 in the capital on Sunday, where organisers, healthcare professionals, and participants highlighted the critical need for regular heart check-ups and preventive healthcare.
The two-day public ECG screening campaign will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday across multiple locations in Dhaka.
According to the campaign schedule, services are being conducted in the morning at the main venue in Gulshan-2, during the noon and afternoon at Police Plaza in Gulshan-1, and in the evening at Jigatola.
Speaking at the inauguration programme, Farzanah Chowdhury, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Green Delta Insurance Company PLC, observed that public discussions in Bangladesh currently centre largely on financial health, economic stability, and structural reforms following the change in government.
However, she emphasised that physical health receives far less attention despite being fundamental.
“The heart is at the centre of overall health,” Farzanah Chowdhury said, adding that financial stability ultimately depends on the physical well-being of individuals.
Referring to this year’s World Heart Day theme, “Don’t Miss a Beat,” she described the message as vital, mentioning that if individuals are not healthy, they cannot effectively care for their families, their communities, or the organisations where they work.
She highlighted that heart disease is becoming increasingly prevalent not only among younger generations but also among infants. Sharing a personal experience, she recounted how her daughter was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta when she was just 45 days old.
The condition was detected in Bangladesh, and doctors advised that corrective heart surgery had to be performed within two months to avoid further complications.
She shared that the diagnosis took place nine years ago and that GD Assist played a crucial role in enabling her daughter to receive necessary treatment for the condition. She stressed that awareness regarding heart health must begin at home.
Farzanah Chowdhury informed TIMES that 35 individuals had already received ECG services on the opening day of the programme, adding that the initiative would be expanded to more locations both within Dhaka and outside the capital.
Shamita Tabassum, chief operating officer of GD Assist Limited, reaffirmed her organisation’s core belief that healthcare should be accessible to every citizen.
She explained that the World Heart Day campaign was launched specifically to foster awareness around heart health and bring essential services closer to the public.
She said GD Assist is offering free ECG screenings for community members, paying special attention to traffic sergeants who work tirelessly under demanding conditions to keep the city’s roads safe.
The initiative, she added, aims to make screening convenient while encouraging early detection and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Shariful Islam Khan Yousufzai, head of Sales and Marketing at Aster Pharmacy Bangladesh, highlighted the functional importance of the organ.
He said while he strongly believes everyone present possesses a heart filled with kindness and love, people must also prioritise their physical heart health, as proper bodily function relies entirely on proper heart function.
Warning against neglect, Yousufzai pointed out that cardiovascular disease does not develop overnight; rather, studies demonstrate that it develops gradually inside the body over time. Without proper care, the disease continues to progress unchecked.
Beneficiaries urge expansion of roadside camps
The initiative received warm appreciation from beneficiaries and passersby on the ground. Rafiqul Islam, a traffic police officer responsible for traffic control in Gulshan-2, told TIMES that he visited the camp after noticing the setup while on duty.
Upon learning that free ECG screenings were being conducted, he praised it as a highly commendable effort.
“Many people are unable to visit hospitals for routine medical check-ups,” Islam said, mentioning that receiving immediate healthcare services at a roadside location is immensely beneficial.
Expressing his satisfaction with the campaign, he suggested organising similar roadside health camps across various locations so that underprivileged individuals, who often cannot afford treatment or travel to hospitals due to financial constraints, can access free medical care.
Mizanur Rahman Khan, an assistant director at Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), shared a similar perspective.
Speaking to TIMES, Khan said he had come to the area for official work and was initially unaware of the event until he passed by the venue.
After speaking with the organisers, Khan learned that Aster Pharmacy, which operates multiple outlets, had organised the event in observance of World Heart Day to provide complimentary health screenings.
“If more people had been informed about the programme in advance, many more could have benefited from this free service,” Khan observed.
He added that people in the country often seek medical attention only after their condition becomes critical or leaves them bedridden, rather than undergoing routine preventive check-ups.
He urged individuals to take charge of their health and adopt preventive measures before serious illnesses develop.
The inauguration event was attended by special guests Rashed Al-Muqeel Al-Zaabi, director of Foreign Aid Office at UAE Embassy in Dhaka, and Faria Shabnam Diana, managing partner of Dazrok Investments UAE.
