New burn unit in Chattogram inches closer to fruition

The longstanding dream of having a specialised burn and plastic surgery unit in Chattogram has moved closer to being realised as the project's proposal has been finalised, showing the funding will come mostly from China and the rest from the Bangladesh government. 

According to the Development Project Proposal, China will be providing 118 million yuan (around Tk180 crore) and the government Tk51.22 crore for the project.

The proposal also seeks approval of 1,065 manpower for a self-contained 150-bed unit with advanced treatment facilities for burn victims on 3,500 square metres of land of the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

The proposal was sent to the health directorate on 22 May, according to the CMCH. Once cleared by the doctorate, the proposal will go to the ministry.  

The project will commence once the approval process is completed. CMCH officials expect the work to start by the end of this year.

As per the contract, the project duration is 22 months. People involved in the project expect the unit to go into operation in the beginning of 2025.

On 30 March, Bangladesh signed an agreement with China to set up the specialised burn unit on CMCH land.  

CMCH Director Brigadier General Shamim Ahsan told The Business Standard that the proposed land has already been cleared of settlements and a boundary is now being erected.

"An expert team will come from China for soil tests. Equipment for testing has been shipped from China. Once DPP is approved, construction will start," he said.

Proposal particulars

A list of 19 items including hospital design, equipment, furniture, vehicles, necessary drugs, stationery, and manpower has been included in the proposal.

China will be funding the entire project, including construction of the unit complex along with the  necessary equipment and furniture. These items will be imported from China.

Besides, the Bangladesh government will be providing Tk9.42 crore for land development, boundary wall, drainage system, road development, Tk1.80 crore for security personnel, and Tk40 crore as duty for the imported equipment.

The manpower list includes 2 chief consultants, 10 senior consultants, 87 consultants, 1 assistant director, 4 resident surgeons, 9 registrars, 18 assistant registrars, 110 assistant surgeons, and 310 Nurses.

There will also be 4 second class, 92 third class, and 418 fourth class employees.

Unit facilities 

The ground floor of the 6-storey unit building will have emergency and outdoor services.

On the second floor, there will be 25 ICU (intensive care units) beds with three state-of-the-art operating theatres. 

The entire third floor will have 25 HDU (high dependency units) beds.

There will be general wards on the fourth and fifth floors. On the sixth floor will have an office with wards. 

Three roads will be built around the unit.

Current state of CMCH

Around four crore people from nine districts of Chattogram Division rely on the current 26-bed burn unit of the CMCH.

With over 60 patients admitted daily, the unit remains in constant pressure. Many patients are forced to sleep on the hospital floor. 

Besides, 25-30 patients are treated in the emergency department and 30-40 in the outdoor service.

The unit still uses the operational theatre built in 1957, has no ICU beds, and no infection control measures.

Brigadier General Shamim Ahsan said infection control is the most important for treating burn patients, but it is not possible with the current state of the unit. "Many patients have to leave the hospital without fully recovering."

Chinese interest 

A Chinese delegation visited the CMCH on 19 September 2016 to inspect possible land for a burn and plastic surgery unit.

The vacant land behind the burn unit of CMCH was designated for the unit at that time.

On 28 March 2018, the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh expressed interest in having a specialised 100-bed self-contained burn unit.

A design was prepared for a four-storied 100-bed specialised unit on an area of about 4,000 square feet.

However, the project stalled when that designated land was found to be smaller than required.

In July 2020, the Chinese ambassador once again proposed the construction of the "Bangladesh-China Friendship Burn Hospital" in Chattogram.

Based on this, CMCH authorities suggested four possible locations.

The call for a self-contained burn unit in Chattogram became louder when the port city's hospitals struggled to treat victims of a terrible fire at the BM depot in Sitakunda in June 2022.  

This prompted authorities to finalise the land on the northside of CMCH's main dormitory (kno wn as Goachi Bagan) for the burn unit.