Overseas patient sending centres operate without approval

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Taskina Yeasmin
Published : 07:40, Sep 15, 2018 | Updated : 07:40, Sep 15, 2018

There isn’t an exact number of centres through which people go overseas for medical treatment. Those who are related to such work say that many such intermediaries often work without offices and via Facebook.
Many patients go abroad on tourist visa and have medical treatment done. Therefore, it’s hard to know the exact number of patients going abroad each year for health reasons.
People can contact hospitals directly and go abroad for treatment but due to lack of awareness they go via centres. Consequently, patients have to spend an extra amount.
Owner of Nahida Health Care Centre, Nahida Alam, told Bangla Tribune: “I have been doing this work for the past 22 years and work according to the preferences of the patients.”
I only send patients to India, she said.
It’s the patient’s decision to go abroad or have treatment within the country; I do not make any suggestions.
When I first started work, the health care system in Bangladesh was weak which has changed now.
Nahida says she is not an agent and began the work as social responsibility.
Monirul Islam, who works in a hospital in Singapore says: “many Bangladeshis come here and I try to help them.”
Registrar of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, BMDC, Dr. Md. Zahedul Huq Basunia, told Bangla Tribune: “we are not concerned about the centres which send patients abroad.”
DG of the health ministry, Professor Abul Kalam Azad, said: “we are not connected to the centres through which patients go overseas for treatment.”

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