The first project under Public Private Partnership (PPP) for installing kidney dialysis equipment is not likely to be operational before June, 2015, officials said.
Since the formulation of a policy and devising strategy on PPP under the Prime Minister's Office in 2010 a good number of projects have been identified by the government.
Among the selected projects under the PPP, construction of High Tech Park in Kaliakoir and installation of 140 kidney dialysis machines in Dhaka and Chittagong are in the priority list.
An official in the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said the Kidney Dialysis Project is awaiting the health minister's final approval and he hopes the minister will sign it by mid- January.
The official said due to some final stage procedural scrutiny the minister's approval is taking time.
He said after the health minister's approval Sandor, an India- based company will get the government's permission for doing kidney dialysis business in Bangladesh on government hospital premises.
Professor Muhibur Rahman, director of the public private partnership- based Kidney Dialysis project said as per deal, a total 140 dialysis machines would be installed at the kidney hospitals in Dhaka and Chittagong.
He said 70 machines out of 140 would be set up at Hemodialysis Centre at National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology (NIKDU) in Dhaka and other 40 at Hemodialysis Centre in Chittagong Kidney Diseases and Hospital.
Syed Afsaruddin, chief executive officer of the PPP office said projects under PPP usually take time as every project goes under a lot of paper works, feasibility study and need both the private and public party opinions.
He said projects like constructing a jetty in Mongla Port, establishing High Tech Park in Kaliakoir and the Kidney Dialysis have got priority under the PPP.
This is for the first time that the government has taken initiative for Private investment to provide better health services to the people and if the project is successfully operated there would be more projects across the country under PPP.
Professor ABM Hannan, Director (hospital) said, "We have prepared all documents and sent those to the ministry and just after getting the final approval the process for installing a total 110 dialysis machines would start by the Indian firm".
The kidney dialysis project director said in the NIKDU 40 machines would be for special operation where every patient will have to pay Tk 2,190 for a single time dialysis and 30 machines for general services where every patient will pay Tk 400 for each time dialysis.
He said, "Though dialysis under PPP would increase costs in public hospitals we have kept a provision for lower costs in line with existing ones and the Indian firm has agreed to keep 30 machines for general services."
He said the same low- cost provision is also there at Hemodialysis Centre in Chittagong Kidney Diseases and Hospital under the PPP project as per agreement.
Another DGHS official said once the dialysis project starts functioning people will get quality health services at low costs in public hospitals like leading private ones.
He said the project cost has been estimated at Tk 200-Tk 230 million and as per agreement it would be fully invested by Indian firm Sandor as a private partner under PPP office.
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