The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

A world class kidney hospital having modern facilities will be built at Mirpur-2 in the city.

In the first phase, organisers said, a four-storey building will be constructed on two bigha lands and a 40-bed dialysis unit be set up there. Kidney transplantation of at least four patients will be done in each week.

Besides, cadaveric transplantation system, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy system would be introduced at the hospital to be named 'Kidney Hospital Foundation and Research Institute'

It will also have a modern laboratory, an intensive care unit (ICU) and tissue typing system, the organisers told the foundation-laying ceremony of the hospital to be built by Kidney Foundation. In the second phase, the hospital will be turned into seven- storey building where 200-bed dialysis service will be started.

Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus laid the foundation stone yesterday as the chief guest, while National Professor MR Khan was present at the function as special guest.

Chaired by Professor Harun Ur Rashid, President of the Kidney Foundation, the function was addressed by vice presidents of the foundation Professor Zia Uddin Ahmed and Professor M A Wahab and Managing Dircetor Tiny Ferdous Rashid.

Two kidney patients, Anima Ghosh and Sultan Shamsunnahar, who recovered from the disease, also spoke on the occasion.

Speaking at the function, Prof Yunus said it is true that there are qualified doctors in the country but the number is inadequate.

Despite the limitation, he said, the country earned a remarkable success in health sector in last 20 years. "We have surpassed India and Pakistan in terms of health indicator," Prof Yunus said.

"We can go ahead further if infrastructure development in the health sector is done rapidly," said the pioneer in microcredit.

Referring to his dream of setting up a world class hospital in the country, Prof Yunus, the founder and Managing Director of Grameen Bank, said, "We want to establish a hospital where all modern facilities would be available and patients would not have to go abroad for treatment."

"To set up the hospital, we are looking for lands and discussing with national and international organizations to this end," he added.

Prof Yunus sought cooperation of all to set up his dream hospital.

He further said the Grameen Bank has a plan to establish nursing training colleges in all districts of the country to produce skilled nurses.

Professor Harun Ur Rashid said 18 percent people of the country have been suffering from kidney diseases. Of them, 60 percent people are not aware of the kidney ailments.

He said one in every six persons has been suffering from the disease which claims 40,000 lives in the country yearly.

Prof Harun said 95 percent kidney patients of the country are unable to bear the treatment cost. As a result, they slowly move towards death.

He said the Kidney Foundation has been providing treatment for poor and middle class people at reasonable cost.

Prof Harun said kidney transplantation cost in the foundation is Taka two lakh, which is many times higher in other countries. A total of 86 kidney transplantation were done at their hospital in last one and a half years.

He said the foundation takes Taka 600 for a dialysis which is Taka 2500-3500 in other hospitals in the country.

Prof Harun urged the people to donate kidneys posthumously.