Evercare performs first-ever bone marrow transplant in Ctg

Evercare Hospital Chattogram has successfully completed the first-ever autologous bone marrow transplant (BMT) in the port city.

Dr Abu Jafar Mohammad Saleh, a senior consultant coordinator of Hematology and BMT Centre at Evercare Hospital Chattogram, and his team performed the stem cell transplant on a 50-year-old patient named Farid Uddin Babar in a period of 12 days.

The transplant procedure began on 19 January and the patient will be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, the hospital announced in a press conference on Monday.

A bone marrow transplant is a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into a patient's body to replace the damaged bone marrow that is not producing enough healthy blood cells.

"We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of the first autologous bone marrow transplant at Chattogram Evercare. This is a major milestone for the hospital and the people of Chattogram as well. Now patients no longer have to travel to Dhaka or outside the country for this life-saving treatment," said Dr Abu Jafar Mohammed Saleh.

"By adding BMT to our services, we are now able to offer patients the best healthcare at a much lower cost, making it more accessible for everyone in need," he said, adding that the BMT service in Chattogram will cost only Tk6,34,000, which is Tk2 lakh less than it costs in Dhaka.

"Evercare has made huge investments to bring revolutionary changes in the healthcare sector of the port city. The bone marrow transplant in Chennai costs 10 lakh rupees, excluding other expenses," Dr Abu Zafar added.

At the press event, Sameer Singh, the chief operating officer (COO) at Evercare Hospital Chattogram, said, "Though Evercare is a corporate organisation, we have a social responsibility too. We want to inform local patients that they do not have to go to Dhaka or India's Chennai for better treatment."