The Square Group in affiliation with three renowned international hospitals is implementing the 300-bed tertiary-care hospital located at Panthapath in Dhaka.

These international partners are Methodist Healthcare, Memphis, Tennessee, US, Christian Medical College (CMCH),Vellore, India and Care IVE (Invitro Fertility Centre) Centre, Singapore.

"We hope we will formally launch the operation of the hospital on December 16, 2006 for the customers," said Tapan Chowdhury, managing director of the Square Hospitals, while talking journalists on the hospital premises yesterday.

He said had the leading local investors come forward, medical services could be one of the major sectors in Bangladesh. But it did not happen because the feedback of any investment in this sector comes late.

'Good initiative returns good recognition'--keeping this slogan in mind, the Square Group has come forward with tremendous confidence and invested Tk350 crore in construction of the hospital," he said, adding that this is not a commercial venture of Square Group and its objective is not to merely make money.

He further said in this context that the income of the hospital would be reinvested in its development.

"I can assure you that we will provide quality medical services with an affordable cost, which will be more competitive than any internationally recognised hospital operating in Bangladesh," the Square Hospitals MD said.

Informing that Bangladeshi people spend about Tk4000crore by taking medical services from abroad, he said,"We hope the Square Hospitals would be able to save this huge amount of money through providing services." He, however, said Square will not compromise with quality.

Md Sanawar Hossain, chief of Medical Services, Md Amer Wahed, consultant of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ancillary Services, Dr Tanvir Ahsan Chowdhury, coordinator of Medical Services, were also present at the programme tiled ' A rendezvous with the future : explore and experience Square Hospitals'.

The hospital will provide both outdoor and indoor medical services and ambulance services for the patients.

The Outpatient Department (OPD) of the hospital is capable of serving 1200 patients a day through 60 fully equipped medical consultation and examination rooms. The patients will get the outdoor facilities from early morning to late evening.

The fully equipped Inpatients Department (IPD) of the Square Hospitals is also ready to provide medical services to the patients.

Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU) and all other branches of IPD, usually available in an internationally recognised hospital, have also been set up at the Square Hospitals.

To ensure an international medical service from a local hospital, Square Hospitals is encouraging reputed non-resident Bangladeshi (NRB) doctors working abroad. Out of the 100 doctors, a total of 25 non-resident Bangladeshi (NRB) specialist doctors have been appointed so far in the hospital and many more are waiting to join the hospital, according to the hospital officials.

Besides, approximately 200 doctors and 380 nurses will be appointed in the Square Hospitals.

It has already appointed 150 nurses from home and abroad. For further advancement of the medical sector in Bangladesh, it has hired some nurses from the Philippines, Australia and India. Local nurses, who are already appointed, will be trained up from CMCH, Vellore, India.

The hospital comprising two buildings on either side of Panthapath is connected by an over bridge. With US fire and safety standards, the 18-storey main building has already been equipped with international standard machineries. And the 16-storey second building, which is now under construction, is expected to be operational by late 2007.