<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on wednesday inaugurated the much-awaited Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Super Specialized Hospital, first of its kind in the country, aiming to provide specialized treatment at a cheaper cost.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier joined the inauguration ceremony at BSMMU virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With state-of-the-art equipment and modern operation theaters, the hospital will provide treatment to all critical patients referred by any public or private hospital, or a physician. Some 5,000-8,000 patients will receive outdoor services at the hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This specialized hospital will be an alternative option for many Bangladeshis opting to go abroad for treatment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Officials said the hospital will have 750 beds. There will also be 14 ultra-modern operation theatres, a 100-bed Intensive Care Unit, a 100-bed emergency unit, six VVIP and 22 VIP cabins, and 25 deluxe cabins.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The specialized services include bone marrow transplant, gene therapy, and robotic surgery.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There will also be six designated centres for particular medical needs, while each ward will have eight beds.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The six designated centres include those for specialized autism, maternal care and childcare, emergency medical care, hepatobiliary and gastroenterology, cardiology and cerebrovascular diseases, and nephrology at the primary stage.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Centres at the secondary stage include those for respiratory medicine, general surgery, ophthalmology, dentistry, dermatology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;Around 1,500 healthcare staffers including 300 physicians will provide services to the patients in the hospital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To this end, at least 120 doctors, nurses and other officers have already received training in South Korea.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;Every activity of the hospital will be done through an automated system, and patient data would be recorded for 100 years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;This project was taken up in 2016 with a view to increasing BSMMU's capacity by providing treatment for general and complex diseases, establishing a "safety net hospital" through modernization of medical care and management, and ensuring skill development of professionals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of the total cost of Taka 1,561 crore, South Korean government's Economic Development Cooperation Fund has provided Taka 1,000 crore, while the government allocated Taka 330 crore and BSMMU contributed Taka 170 crore. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>