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One of them is a cardiologist from the UK, and the other three are American doctors from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Published : 25 Oct 2023, 12:24 AM
Foreign doctors are coming to treat BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia as she is not allowed to travel abroad to seek medical treatment.
One has already arrived in Dhaka from the UK, while three others will arrive by Wednesday.
Khaleda's family took the initiative to bring foreign doctors and the move has received approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, said Dr AZM Zahid Hussain, her former physician.
A cardiologist, who is an expatriate Bangladeshi with extensive medical experience in Britain, arrived from England on Tuesday morning, said another doctor on her medical team.
This cardiologist also visited Khaleda at the hospital in the afternoon, according to him.
The other doctors are Hamid Rabb, Christos Savvas Georgiades, and James Peter Hamilton, all well-regarded physicians from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, according to Dr Zahid.
He noted that these three doctors are highly skilled in nephrology, hepatology, and interventional radiology, particularly in the context of liver-kidney transplants.
"They perform transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and manage patients with conditions like liver cirrhosis, which is crucial for Madam's treatment," he added.
The country's medical board, in two press conferences, said the BNP leader needs a TIPS procedure for her treatment. However, the country lacks the expertise and equipment required to perform this medical intervention.
The 78-year-old BNP chief was admitted to Evercare Hospital on Aug 9. She has been suffering from many health issues, including liver complications, kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, for a long time.
“When Madam’s condition deteriorated, the medical board decided to transfer her to the CCU at 3:30am,” Dr Zahid said.
He mentioned that she was returned to her cabin by Tuesday noon.
A team of 19 doctors led by Dr Shahabuddin Talukder of Evercare Hospital is monitoring her condition at all times, he added.
The medical team had said at a press conference recently that treatment for Khaleda’s condition was unavailable in Bangladesh and that her life was at risk if she was not transferred to an advanced medical facility abroad.
As she is suffering from incurable liver cirrhosis, a transplant is necessary.
Khaleda, jailed for 17 years in connection with two graft cases, was released from prison through an executive order on Mar 25, 2020 that allowed her to stay at home, but barred her from travelling abroad.
The government says that, according to the law, she has to return to prison before she can petition to travel abroad.
On Sept 25, Khaleda’s family petitioned the home ministry to allow her to travel abroad to seek medical treatment. The law ministry turned down the application.
