Liver transplant at Birdem

THE specialists at Birdem Hospital have conducted the first ever liver transplant surgery in Bangladesh, which is indeed a milestone. It is all the more significant for a country, which does not yet have a modern and sophisticated healthcare system.
Liver transplant is a very costly and complicated process for which local patients have to go abroad and spend crores of taka. But, thankfully, our doctors have let us know that patients will not have to spend more than Tk 35 lakh for liver transplant to be conducted locally in future. It is a great development for the health sector as a whole.
The successful liver transplant at Birdem shows what our specialists are capable of achieving, when they get the right kind of training and logistical support. The team of 24 surgeons has actually done what was unthinkable only a decade ago.
However, it is clearly not enough to have talented doctors only. Most of our hospitals will not be rated high enough, compared to any modern hospital abroad, when it comes to infrastructure and other facilities. Obviously, modern medical equipment are costly and fund constraints stand in the way of what we have to do to upgrade the existing facilities. But the Birdem doctors' remarkable feat should be an eye opener. They have made it clear that investment is this sector will pay rich dividends and help us save valuable foreign currency.
The general mood of frustration with the services provided by the public hospitals and doctors is far too evident in our context. Patients do not seem to have enough confidence in our doctors. Of course, they alone are not to be blamed for such a state of affairs. The doctors themselves are also responsible for their none too high standing in the public eye. However, the Birdem surgeons have accomplished something which should leave little doubt in our minds that they are not lagging behind the doctors of the developed world.
We can ill afford to ignore the truth that we are living in a competitive world. So, any achievement that brings us closer to international standards is a solid step forward that enriches the nation. Another point that must not be overlooked is the need for lessening our dependency on other countries. This, we must bear in mind, is a world of bridge building, where knowledge societies interact and knowledge multiplies by exchange rather than keeping it as an exclusive preserve of any one country. The Birdem surgeons have given us something the benefits of which are quite tangible.
We congratulate the doctors and wish the first liver transplant patient of the country a long and happy life.