CA: Kidney Foundation Hospital will lead in providing affordable, high-quality healthcare

Interim government Chief Adviser Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus expressed hope that Sylhet Kidney Foundation Hospital would play a vital role in providing affordable and international-standard healthcare for kidney patients, especially those who are underprivileged.

He spoke virtually as the chief guest during the official inauguration of the Kidney Foundation He noted that the hospital is committed to disease prevention and treatment at the grassroots level and would become a reliable institution for the people of Sylhet.

He said: “They are working at the grassroots level to provide affordable, international-standard healthcare services and to prevent and treat diseases, marking a milestone in Bangladesh's healthcare system.”

The event, presided over by Professor Dr Zia Uddin Ahmed, President of Kidney Foundation Sylhet, and moderated by Trustee Fitrath Rashid, was attended by special guests Sharmeen S Murshid, Adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare in the interim government, and Rasheda K Chowdhury, former Adviser to the caretaker government.

The Chief Adviser said: “Since 2018, Kidney Foundation Hospital, Sylhet, has been providing kidney patients with treatment at a 50% discount in a rented facility.”

He added: “I am personally acquainted with everyone involved in this organization and express my gratitude to them. It has already become a trusted institution for the people of Sylhet.”

Speakers at the event included Ahmed-Us-Samad Chowdhury JP, Chairman of Channel S, Major General Azizur Rahman Bir Uttam, Professor Dr Harunur Rashid, Chairman of National Kidney Foundation and Research Hospital Trust in Dhaka, Tamara Hasan Abed, Managing Director of Brac Enterprises, Asif Saleh, Executive Director of Brac, Meheriar M Hasan, Chairperson of Brac Bank PLC, Engineer Salahuddin Ahmed, Chairman of Shaheed Professor Shamsuddin Ahmed Foundation and Education Trust, and Syed Zaki Hossain.

Dr Zia Uddin Ahmed, Chairman of Kidney Foundation Sylhet, and Colonel Muhammad Abdus Salam Bir Pratik, the General Secretary, expressed their gratitude to the guests.

Notably, renowned businessman Lion Zubair Ahmed Chowdhury and his family donated 120 decimals of land unconditionally for establishing the hospital, which cost approximately Tk34 crore from 2018 to its inauguration.

Built as a joint effort by the Department of Social Welfare and Kidney Foundation Sylhet, this 150-bed hospital sets a new milestone in healthcare.

Social Welfare Ministry Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid said: “There are 76,000 institutions under the Department of Social Welfare, and Kidney Foundation, Sylhet, is one of them. The joint initiative of the Department of Social Welfare and Kidney Foundation in constructing this hospital is truly remarkable.”

She added: “I extend my gratitude to those who connected everyone for this project. By utilizing available resources, this collaborative effort will pave the way for a new chapter in Sylhet’s healthcare system.”

Former Caretaker Government Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury said: “I sincerely thank and express my gratitude to everyone associated with Kidney Foundation Hospital, Sylhet.”

“To advance an institution, economic strength, programmatic vision, sustainability, and capable successors are essential. Those involved with this organization have genuinely fulfilled these roles. They didn’t just dream but worked tirelessly to turn those dreams into reality,” she added.