Posting Date: 17 September, 2012

 

Dhaka, Bangladesh, September 16, 2012– In Bangladesh, each year, about 400,000 people are diagnosed with different kidney related diseases and about twenty thousand patients develop Acute Renal Failure. These patients have limited access to quality and affordable care. The government is keen to enhance affordable kidney dialysis service for the estimated 20 million kidney patients of the country. To alleviate sufferings of the patients, the state owned National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology in Dhaka and the Chittagong Medical College Hospital that currently have 13 and 9 hemodialysis machines respectively, will be upgraded to 40 and 20 hemodialysis machines respectively under the project. Expansion of dialysis services at the public hospital will make hemodialysis accessible to the patients who cannot afford overseas or local private medical treatment. The project, first-of-its-kind, will be implemented on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis.

A Contract, in this regard, was signed today between the Public Private Partnership Office, an autonomous unit under the Prime Minister's Office, Bangladesh and International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Syed Afsor H. Uddin, Chief Executive Officer of the PPP Office and Anita Maranagoly George, Director, Infrastructure Department of IFC signed the Contract on behalf of their respective organizations. The signing ceremony was held at the Conference Room of the Prime Minister's Office. Shaikh Md. Wahid-uz-Zaman, Principal Secretary, Prime Minister's Office attended the signing ceremony as the Chief Guest. Senior Official from the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Implementing Agencies also attended the function.

Under the Contract, IFC will provide transaction advisory services including designing and implementing the upgraded Kidney Dialysis facilities at the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology in Dhaka and the Chittagong Medical College Hospital on PPP basis.

In his address, the Principal Secretary informed the meeting that “A solid foundation for the Bangladesh PPP program is being laid. Very soon we will appoint a panel of transaction advisors to assist the PPP Office, Line Ministries and the Implementing Agencies in executing PPP projects in sectors such as Roads, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Tourism, Housing and Public Works, Railways and others.”

“Through this first-of-a-kind initiative in Bangladesh, the government will be able to expand dialysis services for particularly low and middle income kidney patients in two major cities. Successful implementation of these pilot projects will help us design and implement a nationwide program of PPP projects in the Health sector,” said Syed Afsor H. Uddin, Chief Executive Officer of the PPP Office.

PPPs can bring more efficiency in the sector, improve quality of services and increase access to much needed healthcare services, he added. “Bangladesh is working to build support for greater private participation in the country's development through sustainable PPP models as part of the overall growth framework. IFC is keen to support the Government in implementing its PPP agenda,” said Anita Maranagoly George, Director, Infrastructure Department of IFC.