Adviser Nurjahan, Ambassador Yao Wen discuss medical equipment supply from China

Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum, in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen, discussed the government's plan to procure kidney dialysis machines from China, as the envoy paid a call on her on 30 July.  

During the meeting, both sides had fruitful discussions on ongoing and future cooperation in the health sector. The meeting highlighted the construction of a 1,000-bed modern hospital in Rangpur with Chinese assistance, the launch of mobile hospital services for remote and inaccessible areas, and the supply of dialysis machines for kidney patients, said a health ministry press release. 

The ambassador said the Chinese government will not restrict itself solely to constructing infrastructure and supplying medical equipment in Bangladesh; it will also aid in delivering the essential training required to operate the equipment.

Dr Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, who was present at the meeting, said there are plans to install 1,200 dialysis machines in all divisional hospitals and district sadar hospitals in the country soon. 

"This will greatly reduce the long-term suffering of kidney patients. The cooperation of the Chinese government can play a very important role in implementing the initiative."

Noting that Bangladesh and China have long-standing friendly ties, Adviser Nurjahan Begum said, "Such friendly cooperation from the Chinese government in the health sector will further deepen and strengthen the mutual relations between the two countries."

The secretaries of the Health Services Division and Medical Education and Family Welfare Division, senior officials of the Planning Department of the health ministry, officials of the Chinese embassy in Dhaka, and representatives of the Economic Relations Division were present during the meeting, reads the media release.