Dhaka, Bangladesh, September 16, 2012
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is working with the government of Bangladesh to expand affordable dialysis services in the country for patients suffering from kidney failure, most of whom cannot afford the treatment.
IFC will work with the Public-Private Partnership Office to design and implement a project to upgrade and operate two dialysis centers in Dhaka and Chittagong. The government will collaborate with private investors to increase the capacity of the state-owned National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology in Dhaka from 13 to 40 hemodialysis machines. The Chittagong Medical College Hospital will similarly increase its capacity from nine to 20 machines.
“Through this first-of-its kind initiative in Bangladesh, the government will be able to expand dialysis services in two major cities, particularly for the low-income kidney patients,” said Syed Afsor Uddin, Chief Executive Officer of the Public-Private Partnership Office. “Partnerships with private investors can bring more efficiency in the sector, improve quality of services, and ensure people’s trust in a reliable healthcare system.”
About 400,000 people in Bangladesh are diagnosed every year with kidney-related diseases, and an estimated 20,000 patients suffer from acute renal failure. Expansion of dialysis services at the public hospitals will make treatment more accessible to these patients, most of them unable to afford overseas or local private medical treatment.
“Bangladesh is striving to use sustainable public-private partnership models to drive the development of the country’s health sector,” said Kyle Kelhofer, IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. “IFC is keen to support the government in implementing its public-private partnership agenda.”
This is the first public-private partnership project IFC is facilitating in Bangladesh. IFC offers advisory services to national and municipal governments on structuring public-private partnerships for basic amenities such as water, power, health and education.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. In FY12, our investments reached an all-time high of more than $20 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs, spark innovation, and tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
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