Patients rally over feared halt to Sandor dialysis at CMCH as contract extended by six months

Patients and their relatives formed a human chain over fears that Sandor's dialysis service at Chattogram Medical College (CMCH) Hospital may be stopped.

The human chain was held in front of CMCH Hospital at around 10:30 in the morning on Tuesday (10 November). Patients receiving dialysis from Sandor and their relatives took part in it.

Speakers at the human chain said 276 patients are currently receiving regular treatment at the Sandor dialysis centre of CMCH Hospital. Because of a government subsidy, patients can get each dialysis session for only 621 taka.

In a private hospital, the same service costs between three thousand and three and a half thousand taka. As a patient needs dialysis two to three times a week, continuing treatment through the private system is impossible for many.

A relative of a patient who took part in the human chain said most of those who receive dialysis here are financially insolvent. ‘If this centre closes, where will they go? Many will not be able to continue treatment outside. So we want the government to quickly renew the agreement with Sandor and keep this service running,’ he said.

Another relative present at the gathering said the quality of service from all the staff at this centre, including officers and technicians, is good. Patients have been receiving treatment here at low cost for a long time.

He said that if the government wants to move the centre elsewhere, an alternative arrangement must first be put in place. The new arrangement must maintain the same quality of service and the current cost. The service at this centre should not be stopped in any way without ensuring an alternative.

Their demand is that nearly 500 patients in Chattogram and Dhaka are getting low-cost dialysis through Sandor.

They said that because of CMCH Hospital's own manpower shortage, handing over full responsibility for the service to the hospital authorities could disrupt the quality and continuity of treatment. They therefore demanded that the service continue through Sandor at the present centre.

Meanwhile, the government has extended the agreement with the Indian company Sandor by another six months at the two centres in Dhaka and Chattogram, as preparations to launch dialysis services under government management have not been completed.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Hossain Bakul said the decision was taken to keep treatment for kidney patients going during this period. He announced the extension on Tuesday (10 November) while speaking about the expiry of the dialysis agreement with Sandor.

Notably, the 10-year agreement between the government and Sandor expires on 19 November.