Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum on Sunday highly praised the irreplaceable role of the Robotic Rehabilitation Centre in promoting the rehabilitation of patients and improving Bangladesh’s medical standards.

She expressed gratitude to China for always extending a helping hand at Bangladesh’s most critical times and expressed the hope for further cooperation to elevate bilateral relations to new heights.

The Adviser was speaking at the formal launching ceremony of the Robotic Rehabilitation Centre at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), aided by China.

It is the country’s first Robotic Rehabilitation Centre at its Super Specialised Hospital, marking a major leap forward in advanced medical care for patients with paralysis and long-term neurological conditions.

She emphasised the need for making the initiative sustainable and gradually expanding it to district-level hospitals.

“Many patients in our country live without limbs or with paralysed hands and legs. China has provided 57 robots and trained our doctors. This is a priceless gift, and it must benefit people across Bangladesh,” the Adviser said.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Special Assistant, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Dr Md Sayedur Rahman were, among others, present at the ceremony.

Ambassador Yao said healthcare is vital to national development and people’s well-being and the launch of the Robotic Rehabilitation Centre is a concrete steps towards implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries.

He said it will serve as a milestone in China-Bangladesh medical cooperation. “China is willing to continue deepening collaboration with Bangladesh in the healthcare sector, making it a new highlight in the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, and bringing more benefits to both peoples,” said the Ambassador.

The centre, equipped with 57 robotic systems including 22 powered by artificial intelligence, will offer precision physiotherapy and rehabilitation services previously unavailable in Bangladesh, according to a press release on Sunday.

Around 29 local doctors and physiotherapists have already been trained by a seven-member Chinese expert team to operate the high-tech facility.

The Chinese Ambassador said Beijing would continue to stand beside Bangladesh in advancing healthcare.

“We are supplying international-standard equipment and will extend further support in the future. China has recently also delivered rapid medical aid for burn victims, including those from the Milestone School and College air accident,” he noted.

Prof Sayedur Rahman expressed confidence that BMU would become a hub for introducing and disseminating cutting-edge medical technologies nationwide.

BMU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Md Shahinul Alam who presided over the ceremony, called the launch a historic milestone.

“With this centre, AI-based healthcare officially begins in Bangladesh. Our vision is to make BMU a smart, AI-driven institution. This facility will also serve as a Training of Trainers hub, ensuring the spread of robotic rehabilitation expertise throughout the country,” he said.

The Robotic Rehabilitation Centre will initially treat patients injured during the recent student movement, free of cost, before opening to the general public at affordable fees.

Officials said the facility would not only improve patient outcomes but also save millions of dollars in foreign medical expenses.

The project, supported by equipment worth nearly Tk 30 crore provided by China, positions Bangladesh among the regional frontrunners in robotic rehabilitation.

Health officials said the centre would bring hope to thousands suffering from the aftershocks of stroke, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological disorders.

Senior health ministry officials, BMU faculty members, doctors, and students attended the inauguration, where a documentary on the centre’s functions was also presented.