Country's first robotic rehabilitation centre opens at BMU
China, as a close friend of Bangladesh, has pledged full assistance to advance its health sector, says Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen
The country's first advanced robotic rehabilitation centre has been inaugurated at the Super Specialized Hospital of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) to provide modern treatment for patients with long-term neurological diseases and paralysis.
Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum inaugurated the centre today (31 August) and later addressed a programme at the hospital auditorium.
She stressed the importance of making the centre sustainable and expanding such facilities to other districts to ensure wider patient access.
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"China has supplied 57 advanced robotic devices and trained 29 Bangladeshi doctors and physiotherapists to operate this facility," she said, expressing gratitude to the Government of China for its support.
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen highlighted China's long-standing support for Bangladesh's development.
"China, as a close friend of Bangladesh, has pledged full assistance to advance its health sector. We have supplied international-standard equipment to set up the Robotic Rehabilitation Centre and will continue supporting and strengthening cooperation," he said.
Prof Dr Md Abdus Shakur, chairman of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and head of the new centre, highlighted the facility's advanced capabilities, saying, "This centre is one of the few in South Asia. It has 57 robotic devices, including 22 AI-based systems, to provide accurate physiotherapy and rehabilitation treatments."
"Initially, patients injured in the July uprising, especially those needing long-term rehabilitation, will receive free treatment. Later, services will be offered to the general public at affordable rates."
The centre, built with nearly Tk30 crore worth of advanced equipment donated by China, is expected to reduce the need for patients to seek costly treatment abroad, saving valuable foreign currency.
BMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Shahinul Alam, who presided over the event, described the opening as a historic milestone marking the start of AI-driven medical services in Bangladesh.
"The centre will also serve as a 'training hub for trainers' to expand robotic rehabilitation services across the country," he said.
