DMCH to resume bone marrow transplants in weeks after BMT unit reopens

Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) is set to resume bone marrow transplants (BMT) within the next few weeks, as operations at its revamped BMT unit restarted today.

Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum inaugurated the modernised unit at the new DMCH building and expressed optimism that BMT services would resume soon at a relatively low cost.

Bangladesh's first BMT unit was established on October 20, 2013, with transplants beginning the following year. However, the advanced procedure was suspended in May 2020 after the new DMCH building was converted into a dedicated Covid-19 hospital, doctors said.

Although the service was briefly restarted in 2023, many essential pieces of equipment were found to be non-functional, leading to another suspension, they added.

Following the reopening of the unit, the hospital authorities have begun preparations for transplantation, which is expected to resume within two to three weeks.

Kamrul Hasan, associate professor and head of the BMT unit, said there are two types of bone marrow transplants, autologous and allogeneic, and costs vary depending on the type and the patient's condition.

"Autologous transplantation may cost between Tk 5 lakh and Tk 7 lakh, while allogeneic transplantation may cost around Tk 15 lakh," he said, adding that the expense would be significantly higher at private hospitals or in abroad.

He noted that the upgraded unit has the capacity to perform 50 to 60 transplants annually.