Health State Minister hopes sustainable liver transplant to start in country by end of this year

Dr MA Muhit, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, has expressed hope that regular and sustainable liver transplant activities will be possible to start in the country by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. He said necessary equipment worth Tk 39 crore has already been purchased as preparation for launching this activity at the National Gastro-Liver Institute and Hospital.

He provided this information in reply to an attention notice under Rule 71 of the Rules of Procedure given by Rasheda Begum Hira, government party member of Women’s Seat-3, in the National Parliament on Sunday (September 6). The notice sought information on making treatment of complex diseases including liver easily available in the country and government assistance for treatment of insolvent patients.

The health state minister said five types of necessary equipment for liver transplant have already reached the hospital. Another 10 types of equipment will arrive within the ongoing September. It will take about two months to install these equipment and fully prepare the team formed with concerned doctors and staff. After that the government has the target of permanently launching liver transplant service in the country.

Rasheda Begum Hira said in her speech that her husband died after being affected by liver disease. There was no further opportunity for treatment when taking him abroad. She called for expanding treatment of complex diseases in the country as well as arranging more effective financial assistance for poor patients. Earlier in the discussion on the notice in parliament, demand was raised for quickly launching liver transplant at the National Gastro-Liver Institute and Hospital.

In reply the state minister said treatment of complex diseases like liver and kidney is extremely expensive, for which many families fall into financial crisis while meeting treatment costs. Some are even forced to sell land. In this situation the government is attaching importance to reducing treatment costs from the patient’s own pocket and catastrophic health expenditure.

MA Muhit also said the government is planning to utilize the capacity of the private sector under ‘strategic purchasing’ and public-private partnership or PPP model to ensure treatment for poor people. He said earlier a grant of Tk 50,000 was given for treatment of seriously ill and insolvent patients, but from this year it has been increased to Tk 1 lakh. The government’s target is that no person of the country remains deprived of treatment due to lack of money.

Although initiatives for liver transplant were taken in the country earlier, those did not turn into regular and sustainable service. At the beginning of 2026 plans were also announced for expanding advanced gastroenterology treatment including liver transplant in the country.