Our History

In 1992, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) commissioned a study by Dr. Roland Miller, Professor of Islamic Studies at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, with the purpose of Christian mission in the Muslim world community. Dr. Miller recommended establishing a presence in Bangladesh to meet the needs of poor women and children. In 1993 Lutheran Health Care Bangladesh was formed as a collaborative effort between the ElCA's Global Mission and a consortium of Lutheran churches under the leadership of Dr. Oliver "Bud" Peterson, President, and Mr. Warren Gerecke, Executive Director. ELCA missionaries Ed and Karen Scott, familiar with Bangladesh culture and business practices, were on site during the early years to supervise program work and construction. In 1995, the first patients of LHCB were seen in a rented house in the village of Dumki. A grant from Calvary Lutheran Church provided funds for construction of the Scott's home, and now visitors to Dumki are housed in Calvary House. In November of 1997 construction of the hospital/clinic complex was completed and its doors opened for patient care.

View our history in photos gallery.

At the dedication of the new facility, Mark Jacobson, M.D., MPH, medical consultant for the ELCA/DGM remarked, “The LHCB project is a remarkable successful effort. The project has built the physical structures necessary to begin its services. It has recruited and trained a strong group of staff for administration, providing medical care, and community outreach. It is clearly focused on the welfare of women and children, and has a strong community development and education component. It is already well respected and supported by the local and national government. Truly, it is a fine example of creating space for dialogue and sharing with the Islamic community."

In 2001, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, provided a grant for the addition of a second story to the outpatient wing. The following year, Fairview Foundation of Minnesota funded construction of the Operating Room. A Women’s Waiting House was completed and dedicated in November 2003. Women with identified high risk pregnancies could now come to the hospital and await delivery under medical supervision.

In 2006, improvements were made to the hospital, the operating room and the laboratory including vital updating of the laboratory equipment. In November 2006, LHCB broke ground for the new Staff Housing Project that will provide apartments for doctors, nurses, administrators and their families. This will allow LHCB to recruit, train and retain qualified and dedicated personnel, and benefit patients by having medical staff onsite. Completion of the Staff Housing Project is scheduled for May 2008.