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Doctors at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), for the first time, have successfully performed a bone marrow transplant on a patient at a cost of Tk 322,000, significantly lower than Tk 2 million in other countries, said officials on Monday.
The medical procedure was conducted at the bone marrow transplantation and stem cell therapy centre of BSMMU.
Enamul Haque, 63, hailing from Narayanganj, came to the hospital for treatment four months ago with various physical complications. After medical examinations, the haematology department confirmed that Enamul was suffering from a complex blood cancer disease.
He was then treated in the haematology department, and doctors decided to undergo bone marrow transplantation.
Following this, stem cells were collected from the patient's body on January 17. A day later, on January 18, Prof Dr Salahuddin Shah performed the bone marrow transplantation.
After 18 days of transplantation, no complications were seen in the patient's body, which the doctors said is normal and positive, indicating the bone marrow was applied successfully.
The cost of this transplant ranges from Tk 0.6 million to Tk 1.2 million in the private hospitals of the country, BSMMU vice chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed said during a media briefing at the university's stem cell therapy centre.
The cost abroad for this type of transplantation is between Tk 2.0 million and Tk 3.0 million, depending on the hospital, he added.
The BSMMU vice chancellor said that the patients of the country do not have to go abroad for such treatment, as with the necessary government support it is possible to perform 3 to 5 bone marrow transplants per month at this centre.
It is possible to perform one bone marrow transplant per month within the existing facilities, he added.
Physicians who spoke at the event emphasised performing permanent and consistent bone marrow transplantations and taking the therapy centre to a world-class level.
The Chairman of the BSMMU Department of Haematology, Dr Md Salahuddin Shah, presented the technical subject of bone marrow transplantation at the programme.
The bone marrow transplantation and stem cell therapy centre was set up on January 1 in the F-Block of BSMMU for the treatment of cancer patients.