Patients’ relatives protest in Dhaka, Ctg hospitals for suspending dialysis services

Patients' relatives protested by blocking Mirpur Road in front of the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology in Dhaka, where dialysis services have been suspended.

The director of the hospital, Prof Mizan, told The Daily Star, "They began protesting this morning. I'm trying to find a solution. Hopefully, it will be resolved soon."

Beside Dhaka, kidney dialysis services at Chattogram Medical College Hospital have also been suspended since the morning. The director of the hospital, Brig Gen Shamim Ahsan, said, "The dialysis activities are carried out through the Department of Health's public private partnership (PPP) project."

"There are some due payments. They have been assured that the dues will be cleared. They agreed and promised to start work, however, this morning they stopped all the dialysis activities and left," he said.

"With the 100 machines here, we can do dialysis for 300 to 400 patients every day," he added.

The protestors said, "Dialysis in a private hospital cost at least Tk 2,500 to 3,000. Here we can have dialysis for only Tk 500. There are many patients who have to undergo dialysis twice a week. It is impossible for us to do dialysis in a private hospital."