National kidney institute to offer free kidney transplant every Saturday

National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology (NIKDU) at the capital's Sher-e-Bangla Nagar will offer free kidney transplants every Saturday, and patients will bear the costs of the medicine only.

"We will conduct the investigation and the operation for free. Patients will only have to buy the medicines," Prof Dr Md Babrul Alam told The Business Standard.

While discussing the expenses, he said that people who receive kidneys from family members would not need much medicine, and their costs will be slightly less.

"However, depending on the patient, the cost of the medicine will be between Tk30-60 thousand," he said.

The institute plans on expanding the free service from one free transplant per week as the patient number grows.