BSMMU Super Hospital to be upgraded to world-class services: VC

BSMMU Super Specialized Hospital will be upgraded to a world-class healthcare facility by recruiting skilled medical professionals and equipping them with modern medical technologies to ensure better treatment facilities aiming to discourage people from going abroad. 

"A significant number of people are going abroad to receive better treatment . . . our main aim is to stop the trend of going overseas for taking healthcare services," BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Deen Md Nurul Haque told BSS. 

The BSMMU-run super specialized hospital needs to be equipped with highly efficient physicians and advanced medical equipment, he said, adding, "We want to restructure the super specialized hospital giving it a corporate shape and flavour to attract the health service seekers, who are going to different countries including India for treatment purpose."

On September 14, 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the much-awaited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Super Specialized Hospital, the first of its kind in the country, aiming to provide specialized treatment at a cheaper cost.

"After taking charge as VC of BSMMU, I have identified some problems of the Super Specialized Hospital . . . I am taking initiatives to address the problems to make the hospital a global standard one,"  Prof Nurul added.

As per the existing recruitment procedure, the BSMMU authorities can recruit doctors, nurses and other medical professionals but, "BSMMU vice-chancellor must be empowered by giving authority to recruit highly efficient physicians, surgeons and other medical professionals on contractual basis from different countries," the VC said.

By bringing in foreign experts, BSMMU can improve the skills and knowledge of its existing staff through collaboration and knowledge sharing, he added.

"Besides, we can also recruit experienced and skilled medical professionals from our country on a contractual basis," Prof Nurul said, adding "If the existing recruitment procedure is not changed, the Super Specialized Hospital will be like other general hospitals of the country." 

"We must increase service charges at the Super Specialized hospital as it will provide global standard treatment. Public hospitals are taking very nominal service charge whereas the leading private hospitals including Evercare, Square and United hospitals are charging very high," the VC added.

"The Super Specialized hospital aims to be a more affordable option than leading private hospitals of Dhaka city, offering almost 50 percent less service charges...our main aim is to stop the patients from going abroad as they (patients) are spending a handsome amount of money while they go to different countries for treatment purpose," Prof Nurul added.

Prof Mohammad Atiqur Rahman, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) of BSMMU said, "As part of the massive campaign, BSMMU will make the super specialized hospital a state-of-the-art one with incorporating an updated version of medical technology and recruiting highly skilled manpower."

After the inception of the Super Specialized Hospital, it is providing healthcare services on a limited scale as there is an insufficient number of healthcare professionals, he added. 

Physicians and other health workers of BSMMU are working in the Super Specialized Hospital on a part-time basis, Prof Atiqur said, adding recruitment of 2,758 medical professionals is under process.

"We will recruit 2,758 medical professionals following the existing recruitment system of the health and other relevant ministry to ensure healthcare services on a large scale," he added.

The authorities will recruit efficient and experienced doctors, and surgeons from different countries to upgrade the healthcare system of the hospital to world-class standards to stop the trend of going abroad to receive improved treatment services, Prof Atiqur commented, who was supported by the BSMMU VC as well. 

The total healthcare services of the Super Specialized Hospital have been divided into five centres -- Emergency Medical Centre, Cardiovascular and stroke centres, hepatobiliary and liver transplant centre, Kidney Disease Centre and Maternal and child healthcare centre, the pro-vice chancellor said. 

All five of its healthcare service centres are set to become global standard facilities equipped with the latest medical advancements, he added.

Prof Atiqur said, "There are 750 beds in the Super Specialised Hospital while it has a 100-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 64 cabins."