The National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in Dhaka has officially expanded its capacity from 500 to 1,000 beds, marking a significant boost to neurological healthcare services in Bangladesh.
The newly upgraded facility was inaugurated on Monday, aiming to ease patient pressure and improve access to specialised treatment.
The expansion includes a 15-storey building with three basement floors designated for parking and essential services. The upper floors accommodate wards, operation theatres and diagnostic units. The hospital is now the first government facility in the country to feature both central air conditioning and a three-level basement.
Additional amenities include escalators up to the third floor, eight passenger-cum-bed lifts, two passenger lifts, two 1500 kVA substations, four modular operation theatres, a modern cath lab and 36 ICU/HDU beds.
Project Director Dr Badrul Alam stated that the hospital already has some trained staff in place, while further recruitment is underway. With the increased capacity, he expressed optimism that fewer patients will need to be turned away due to bed shortages.
Established in 2012 with 300 beds and later expanded to 500, the hospital continued to face rising patient demand. In 2018, the government approved a Tk 506-crore project to add another 500 beds, culminating in the current expansion.
Hospital Director Dr Kazi Gias Uddin confirmed receiving approval to recruit 852 new staff, noting that full 24-hour services will be operational once recruitment is complete. Special Assistant Dr Sayedur Rahman added that the ministry’s automated posting system ensures deployment of experienced specialists and nursing staff.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Saidur Rahman expressed concern over weaknesses in the national referral system, warning that misdirected or unreceived patients often face life-threatening delays. Highlighting overcrowding in major Dhaka hospitals, he urged the Neurosciences institute to take a more responsible and humane role in improving referral practices.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, Health Education and Family Welfare Division Secretary Saidur Rahman, DGHS Director General Dr Md Abu Jafar, Health Education Director General Dr Nazmul Hossain, Hospital Director Dr Kazi Gias Uddin, Joint Director Dr Badrul Alam, and other officials.
