Emergency response plan at hospitals to address urgent needs underscored

City Desk :

Speakers at a roundtable discussion on Saturday stressed need to have emergency response plan of the hospitals with coordinated support to address needs of urgent treatment of patients including critical kidney patients during the period of unwanted disasters.
They also stressed to adopt integrated health strategies that prioritize prevention, early detection, and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including kidney disease.
Voluntary organisation Kidney Awareness, Monitoring and Prevention Society (KAMPS) organised the roundtable discussion as part of its series of program in observance of the World Kidney Day-2023. This year the day will be observed on March 9 (Thursday).
They pointed out that the health care services should provide equitable and proper access to care for chronic patients in times of emergency. Founder and Chairman of KAMPS Prof. Dr. MA Samad moderated the roundtable, who also made a power presentation on the theme of the current year’s world kidney day. Eminent Nephrologist and Chairman of Kidney Foundation, Prof. Dr. Harunur Rashid said kidney disease is silend disaster because this disease does not show any symptom until it gets about 80 percent damaged, so early detection is the biggest need to follow.
Architect Iqbal Habid, general Secretary of BAPA strongly suggested to make sufficient investment on awareness raising program in a bid to prevent fearsome things like kidney disease or staying a building which is not earthquake resistant. Directopr General of the Department of Disaster management, Md. Mijanur Rahman mentioned that recent disaster in Turkey and Syria has posed a warning for the rest of the world to be aware from right now. He said the government is already aware and planning all the needful which is possible in managing all sorts of disasters.
Shedding light on the overall scenario of Kidney diseases in the country including its reasons, treatment and consequences, Prof. Samad said that every possible efforts should be made to ensure the right to treatment of kidney patients all over the country irrespective of rich and poor or disadvantaged groups.
He said that the governments should include emergency preparedness plans in the management and detection of NCDs and favour the prevention of these conditions.
Prof. Samad also suggest that the patients should plan for emergencies by preparing an emergency kit that includes food, water, medical supplies, and medical records.
Md. Mijanur Rahman, Director General, Department of Disaster Management, Brig. Gen. (Retd) Engr. Ali Ahmed Khan, former Director General, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Architech Iqbal Habib, Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BPA), Dr. Mehedy Ahmed Ansary, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, BUET, Prof. Dr. Harunur Rashid, President, Kidney Foundation, Prof. Dr. Nizam Uddin, President, Bangladesh Renal Association, Prof. Dr. Md. Qamrul Islam, Managing Director, CKD & Urology Hospital, Dr. Abdul Latif Helali, Project Director, Urban Resilience Project, RAJUK, Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, former skipper, national cricket team, Prof. Dr. Harisul Huq, Professor of the Department of Cardiology, BSMMU and General Secretary, KAMPS addressed the roundtable discussion as panel discussants.
Rezwan Salehin, Executive Director of the KAMPS offered vote of thanks. Dr MA Samad, also the Head of the Department of Kidney at Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital in his presentation stressed need for widespread awareness among people to prevent the kidney diseases referring that the treatment of this disease is critical and it’s cost is excessively high that is not possible to bear for lower income segment of people.