Daktar is the most riveting account of faith and healthcare I’ve ever enjoyed. Set amid the agonizing 1971 Bangladesh war for independence from Pakistan, Viggo Olson describes his very personal experience with injured and dying Bangladeshi people, and his heroic efforts to bring compassionate healthcare amid the chaos. Disabled in the midst of the fighting by his on fractured arm, I felt the pain and determination of this author’s struggle to be effective against all odds.
Diplomat in Bangladesh is also a befitting subtitle, as this book also documents Dr. Olson’s years long effort to establish a medical center, beginning with pre-war dealings and red tape with Pakistani politicians in order to get permission to establish the hospital.
Dr. Olson it’s also an intriguing personality. Trained in a prestigious United States surgery department, he walked away from a distinguished and lucrative career. Daktar chronicles his journey from agnosticism to a burning faith in Christ and his illustrative career decision making process. I find it no wonder that 50 years later we continue to be inspired by Viggo Olson’s monumental book, Daktar.