Dhaka:Bangladesh Medical University The Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) is planning to double its liver transplant procedures, aiming for four transplants per month by the end of next year. Currently, the university conducts two transplants monthly as part of its regular program.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Mohammad Saief Uddin, Associate Professor at the concerned department, stated that the facility located in the Shahbagh area of the capital intends to increase the number of transplants to one per week. The procedures are managed by a multidisciplinary team from 19 departments under the leadership of BMU's Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and Liver Transplantation Surgery Department.
Professor Bidhan C Das, Chairman of the department, highlighted that transplants are often necessary for patients suffering from end-stage liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, or acute liver failure. Successful transplants can significantly improve patients' quality of life. Since 2019, BMU has conducted eight transplants at its facility, including six under its current program. The most recent procedures were performed free of charge with government funding and technical assistance from the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Hospital in Hyderabad, India.
Bangladesh has completed 13 liver transplants since 2010, with eight performed at BMU, three at BIRDEM, and two at Labaid Hospital. BIRDEM conducted the first liver transplants in the country, starting on June 3, 2010.
Recent successful transplants at BMU include a procedure for a 12th-grade student, Ismat Ity, who received a liver portion from her sister Ayesha Siddiqua, and a transplant for Haji Kabir Hossain, whose daughter Sumaiya Kabir donated part of her liver. Both recipients and donors are currently recovering well under BMU's follow-up care.
Dr. Saief noted that BMU's success rate for liver transplants is 90%, comparable to world-class centers. He emphasized the importance of lifelong follow-up and medication to prevent organ rejection, with initial monthly medication costs ranging from Taka 10,000 to 15,000, potentially decreasing over time.
The cost of liver transplants abroad can be prohibitively high, with expenses reaching up to Taka 1 crore in some countries. BMU's program, initially funded with Taka 5 crore from the government, aims to reduce costs further as the program expands.
BMU currently performs living-donor transplants, with careful selection processes to ensure donor safety and prevent commercial motives. Donors typically come from the 18-55 age group and undergo thorough medical evaluations. The university has recorded no donor fatalities in its program. The transplant procedure generally lasts six to eight hours, with donors typically requiring a short hospital stay.
The university's efforts to enhance its liver transplantation program aim to address the significant demand for these procedures in Bangladesh, potentially saving millions of dollars for patients who might otherwise seek treatment abroad.