Leading super-specialty Amrita Hospital, founded by Hindu spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi, would treat personnel of the Bangladesh Armed Forces (BAF), its top official on Wednesday.
"We have signed an agreement with the BAF to provide healthcare services, including patient care, medical education, research and training at our hospital in Kochi (Kerala) to Bangladesh soldiers, air warriors and naval personnel," said Amrita Hospital Medical Director Prem Nair in a statement here.
The BAF consists of the Bangladesh Army, Air Force and Navy, with a combined strength of 3.65-crore personnel.
"The collaboration is an instance of international cooperation in South Asia. It will not only help heal bodies, but also strengthen bonds between the two great peoples who share common heritage and culture," said Nair.
Besides treating BAF, the AIMS will train its doctors, nurses and paramedics at the hospital.
"The collaboration will bring the two neighbouring countries closer, as our members benefit from the expertise and infrastructure at Amrita Hospital," said BAF's Major General S. M. Motahar Hossain on the occasion.
The BAF plans to set up tele-medicine and tele-radiology facilities at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka to connect doctors at Amrita Hospital, he said.
The BAF will also refer patinets to AIMS for complex surgeries and medical procedures.
Mata Amritanandamayi established the hospital in 1998 and modernised it as the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) to offer primary and specialty care medical services, with cross-specialty consultation to thousands of patients from across the country and overseas, including South Asia, West Asia and Central Africa.
The 1,300-bed tertiary referral and teaching hospital serves a whopping 800,000 outpatients and about 50,000 inpatients annually.
--IANS
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