Govt to clear dues, dialysis will continue at CMCH

To continue providing dialysis to kidney patients at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), the health department is taking steps to clear the dues owed to Sandor Medicaids (Pvt) Ltd, an Indian company that provides medical supplies for dialysis.

"With assurances from the health department, Sandor Medicaids has withdrawn their announcement of stopping kidney dialysis at CMCH on Wednesday," Dr Hasan Shahriar Kabir, Chattogram divisional health director, told The Business Standard. 

"Kidney dialysis will continue at CMCH. Even today, patients have undergone kidney dialysis," he added. 

Sandor Medicaids has been providing kidney dialysis at CMCH under a Public Private Partnership (PPP). Recently, they stopped supplying raw materials because of outstanding payment dues.

 "Appropriate steps will be taken to clear their dues" said Dr Hasan Shahriar.

Earlier on Tuesday, CMCH issued a notice stating that dialysis services would be closed from 5 January and that he service is being shut down due to crisis of raw materials. 

The notice went on to request patients in advance to do the needful for their treatment. 

The government set up 31 dialysis machines for kidney dialysis at the CMCH for kidney patients in Chattogram. According to a PPP agreement, the hospital authorities are supposed to provide dialysis to 40 kidney patients at a cost of Tk486 per day on 20 machines. 

The Ministry of Health has been subsidising the remaining cost of Tk2,180 per patient. 

The company is owed some Tk23 crore by the government for their service over the last two years.