Gonoshasthaya Kendra to expand dialysis services in 3 districts

Gonoshasthaya Kendra is going to set up dialysis centres in Jashore, Cox's Bazar and Sylhet by next year to provide services to kidney patients, said Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, trustee of the organisation.
 
He said this while addressing a press conference at Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in the capital's Dhanmondi area on Sunday. 

Gonoshasthaya Dialysis Centre is going to host a two-day international conference on nephrology beginning November 29. Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital and Bangladesh Renal Association will jointly organise the programme. About 200 nephrologists, biomedical engineers and nurses would participate in the conference. 

Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury made the announcement at the press conference. 

"We have a plan to reduce kidney transplantation charge and the charge will be Tk1 lakh from the next year. We also want to provide dialysis services at a lower cost," Dr Zafrullah said. 

An agreement was signed with London Royal Hospital to establish a full-fledged  kidney transplant centre in Dhaka, said he.

 According to sources, about 18-20 per cent of people are kidney patients and about 45,000 patients face kidney failures every year. They need either dialysis or kidney transplantation. 
 
Stressing the need for more kidney experts in the country, Dr Zafrullah said the shortage of nephrologists, urologists and nurses has deteriorated the situation.

He urged the government to regulate the pricing of drugs related to kidney disease and asked philanthropists to donate more to ensure the affordability of healthcare to the poor kidney patients.

Chairman of the conference organising committee Professor Mamun Mostafi and Gonoshasthaya Dialysis Centre coordinator Dr Mohib Ullah Khondoker, among others, were present at the press conference.