NICVD adds 39 CCU beds, 10-bed emergency unit

The National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) has added 39 new Coronary Care Unit (CCU) beds and a 10-bed emergency centre with support from the Chinese government.

The newly established one-stop emergency centre and fully renovated CCU were inaugurated on Tuesday as part of a broader health cooperation initiative between Bangladesh and China.

The launch also marked the opening of the China–Bangladesh Joint Cardiovascular Disease Clinic Unit at NICVD.

Under a fresh cooperation agreement, Chinese specialists will provide training to Bangladeshi doctors and health workers. A medical team from China’s Fuwai Yunnan Hospital has already arrived in Dhaka to support clinical operations. Officials described the joint clinic as a major milestone in bilateral health collaboration.

Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen, Ma Zuoxin of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province and Shi Jinyang of Fuwai Yunnan Hospital were present at the ceremony.

Addressing the event, Adviser Nurjahan Begum thanked China for its continued support, saying the collaboration reflects the strong friendship between the two nations.

She emphasised that the government is prioritising advanced technology in cardiac care and working to enhance the skills of local physicians.

“We are working to ensure equal access to healthcare for all, regardless of income. When advanced treatment becomes widely available at home, the need to seek care abroad will naturally decline,” she said.

Ambassador Yao Wen hailed the new clinic as a “landmark achievement in China–Bangladesh health cooperation”, adding that it marks the start of a new phase in joint medical advancement.

He expressed hope that the two countries would continue deepening cooperation in public health management, medical technology innovation, and healthcare sector development, contributing to what he called the “Health Silk Road”.