Gyp 111
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2012
- Messages
- 540
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
- Location
Bone marrow transplant unit by next June | Health | bdnews24.com
Dhaka, Nov 4 (bdnews24.com)The Health and Family Welfare Minister on Sunday announced a 'highly sophisticated' bone marrow transplant unit will be launched in Bangladesh by June next year in a major respite for cancer patients here.
The good news for the thousands of cancer patients who cannot afford the costly procedure abroad came when the government signed an agreement on technical cooperation with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), USA at the Secretariat.
The centre, the first of its kind, will be set up at the new building of state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
"It would be a milestone for us," minister AFM Ruhal Haque said, "We want to start it even before June."
Doctors say bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue inside bones.
It is needed to treat different types of deadly cancers and anemia patients including leukaemia, lymphomas such as Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, and aplastic anemia and immune-deficiency disorders.
Though there is no statistics of how many people need bone marrow transplantation in Bangladesh, the minister said the requirement would be 'very high.'
"But only a few people can afford costly procedure at overseas centres," he said. "Opening the centre will give them a hope."
The minister said the equipment would cost Tk 150 million to 200 million.
He said they were trying to build it 'in the best way'.
"We are not trying it in a cheaper way. We are going for the best but at a cheaper price." He said before signing with the MGH they had visited a number of centres in different countries including in India and Pakistan.
"But the assistance they (MGH) offered was unparalleled." Haque said.
Under the agreement MGH would help Bangladesh "from setting up the unit to training up every staff of the technology-dependent sophisticated procedure."
He said they would not need much time as 'the building is ready with electricity, air-conditioner and necessary utility supplies'.
"They have provided us a list of equipment that we would need," the minister said.
Replying to a question the minister said the transplantation would be 'much cheaper' what it is in other countries.
Additional Director General (administration) A F M Saiful Islam and David Bangsberg, Director, MGH Centre for Global Health signed the agreement.
Dhaka, Nov 4 (bdnews24.com)The Health and Family Welfare Minister on Sunday announced a 'highly sophisticated' bone marrow transplant unit will be launched in Bangladesh by June next year in a major respite for cancer patients here.
The good news for the thousands of cancer patients who cannot afford the costly procedure abroad came when the government signed an agreement on technical cooperation with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), USA at the Secretariat.
The centre, the first of its kind, will be set up at the new building of state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
"It would be a milestone for us," minister AFM Ruhal Haque said, "We want to start it even before June."
Doctors say bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue inside bones.
It is needed to treat different types of deadly cancers and anemia patients including leukaemia, lymphomas such as Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, and aplastic anemia and immune-deficiency disorders.
Though there is no statistics of how many people need bone marrow transplantation in Bangladesh, the minister said the requirement would be 'very high.'
"But only a few people can afford costly procedure at overseas centres," he said. "Opening the centre will give them a hope."
The minister said the equipment would cost Tk 150 million to 200 million.
He said they were trying to build it 'in the best way'.
"We are not trying it in a cheaper way. We are going for the best but at a cheaper price." He said before signing with the MGH they had visited a number of centres in different countries including in India and Pakistan.
"But the assistance they (MGH) offered was unparalleled." Haque said.
Under the agreement MGH would help Bangladesh "from setting up the unit to training up every staff of the technology-dependent sophisticated procedure."
He said they would not need much time as 'the building is ready with electricity, air-conditioner and necessary utility supplies'.
"They have provided us a list of equipment that we would need," the minister said.
Replying to a question the minister said the transplantation would be 'much cheaper' what it is in other countries.
Additional Director General (administration) A F M Saiful Islam and David Bangsberg, Director, MGH Centre for Global Health signed the agreement.
