China hospital chains in Bangladesh, first one to be built in Nilphamari

Modern-day China hospital chains in Bangladesh begin with a big venture in the country's far north to cater all low-cost treatments and specialised care at higher expenses, officials say.

Northern Nilphamari district is set to host the country's first high-standard, large-scale 'Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital' under a series of China-funded healthcare projects planned across multiple locations.

The proposed 1,000-bed hospital, estimated to cost Tk 22.93 billion, is expected to provide advanced medical services not only to the district's residents but also to nearly 17.61 million people across the northern region, as well as patients from neighbouring countries, according to Planning Ministry officials.

The Health Services Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had earlier submitted the project proposal, with around Tk 22.2 billion earmarked as a China grant and an additional Tk 729.36 million to be financed from government sources.

"Socioeconomic Infrastructure Division of the Planning Commission recently convened the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) to review the proposal," says a senior official at the commission.

The committee recommended placing the project before the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), subject to compliance with certain observations and recommendations, he adds.

Once completed, the 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital in Nilphamari is expected to serve 2,400 to 3,050 patients daily, including 800 to 1,000 admitted, assuming 80-percent bed occupancy.

About 1,200 patients will visit the General Outpatient Department (OPD), and another 700 will receive specialist consultations, reveals the project proposal.

Per-patient treatment costs are expected to be Tk 50-100 for general OPD, Tk 100-300 for specialist OPD, and Tk 100-200 for emergency services.

Basic laboratory tests such as blood and urine analyses will cost Tk 250-500, while specialized diagnostic procedures, including MRI and dialysis, will be charged Tk 5,000-10,000 per session.

The hospital aims to address critical healthcare gaps in the northern districts, where the current 250-bed Nilphamari General Hospital and primary healthcare facilities are insufficient to serve the approximately 17.6-million residents.

Patients from Nilphamari and surrounding districts currently travel 50-70 kilometers to Rangpur Medical College Hospital or far-off Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment, resulting in increased costs, delays, and health risks.

The project will reduce patient congestion at tertiary hospitals in Rangpur and Dhaka and strengthen the regional referral network, as it would help in reducing referral rate by 25 per cent.

The planned hospital will offer timely treatment for complex and chronic diseases through integrated services in cardiology, nephrology, oncology, neurology, and maternal-neonatal care. The project also plans improving Emergency, ICU, and critical-care services.

The Health Ministry has proposed Tk 8.02 billion, or nearly 35 per cent of the total project cost, for the construction of 109,872 square meters of residential and non-residential buildings. Another Tk 2.49 billion has been earmarked for electrical equipment, including external electrification and other related works.

The hospital will also be equipped with 17,240 medical and support devices, at an estimated cost of Tk 9.45 billion. This equipment component alone accounts for 41.23 per cent of the total project cost, making it the largest single allocation.

Together, these three components-construction, electrification, and equipment-make up 87.08 per cent of the total project budget.

An additional Tk 1.3 billion, or 5.66 per cent of the total, has been set aside as contingencies to cover any price increases or additional physical-work requirements during implementation.

The PEC flagged several issues with the proposed hospital project, while it asked if land acquisition is needed and how related costs were calculated.

The Civil Works Report was unsigned, and Tk 8.02 billion-about 35 per cent of the total cost-was allocated across 24 items, raising questions over per-unit rates.

Residential and non-residential components were noted separately, but comparisons with similar projects were missing, and the master plan was not attached, officials at the PEC have said.

The meeting also questioned the Tk 50 -million consultancy allocations and stressed that equipment and furniture costs must be backed by market price reports.

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