Transplantation of bone marrow has been completed for the first time in Bangladesh.
A group of physicians led by Prof MA Khan, head of hematology and oncology department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Dr Bimalangshu Dey of Massachusetts General Hospital of the USA conducted the transplantation of bone marrow at the DMCH on Monday.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mohammad Nasim made this announcement at a press conference at the conference room of DMCH-2.He said the successful transplantation of bone marrow would be a milestone in the medical science.
The doctors however kept the name of the patient to whom the bone marrow was transplanted. It is informed that the patient is 52 years old and he is banker and was suffering from multiple myeloma blood cancer.
Prof MA Khan claimed that the Bone Marrow Transplantation Centre set up at the DMCH on October 20 last year is an international standard treatment centre. He hoped that 90 per cent of patients, who would be given treatment at the centre would be successful.
It is informed that free treatment would be given from the centre for the first three months and the cost of the bone marrow transplantation would be determined considering the socio-economic condition of the people.
Dr Bimalangshu said treatment would be given to 20 patients for the time being by taking stem cell from them. And then bone marrow transplantation will be conducted by taking stem cell from donors, he added.
He called upon all concerned to be donors of bone marrow.
He said four doctors and 20 nurses were given special training on transplantation of bone marrow and imparting education and training to more people will continue.
The health minister said the sufferings of blood cancer patients have been removed with the transplantation of bone marrow in the country.
Not only blood cancer, patients of thelasemia will also get new lives aftert intruction of scuh a treatment, he added.
Prof MA Khan said the bone marrow department is separated from other departmetns of the DMCH. The Stamcell lab will be minus 196 deegree celcious.
He said it would cost Tk 500,000 to Tk 600,000 to complete bone marrow transplantation for a patient.
State mininster for health Zahid Malek, director general of health directorate Prof Dr Din Mohammad, project director Dr Baijid Khurshid Riaz and director of DMCH Brig Gen Md Mostafizur Rahman, among others, were present on the occassion. – Staff areporter
