Journalist Appeals to Prime Minister as Kidney Transplant for Brother Stalls Over Essential Test

Journalist Nure Alam Siddiqui Jewel says he has been unable to arrange a crucial “DTPA Renogram with Split Function and GFR” test required for his elder brother’s kidney transplant. Despite contacting various public and private hospitals across Bangladesh, he has yet to find a facility where the test can be performed. Meanwhile, his family is struggling to cover the cost of treatment, including dialysis twice a week. He has appealed to the prime minister and health minister to intervene and help arrange the test.

Jewel shared the details in a video posted on his Facebook profile on Friday night, October 23. His elder brother, Md. Masudur Rahman, is a resident of Munshikhanpur village in Monirampur upazila of Jashore district. He works as a health provider at a community clinic.

According to Jewel, several tests required in preparation for his brother’s kidney transplant have already been completed on medical advice. Their mother has agreed to donate a kidney. Initial examinations and other necessary tests, including cross-matching, have also been conducted. However, the entire process has stalled at the final stage because the family has been unable to arrange one specialised test.

In the video, Jewel identified the test as a “DTPA Renogram with Split Function and GFR.” He said the family had been unable to find a facility offering the test, which is needed to assess the potential kidney donor’s renal function. Despite contacting relevant institutions, including the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology, they have not received clear information about where or when the test can be performed.

Jewel said his family has been going through a difficult period for the past two to three months. They must continue paying for his brother’s regular dialysis and medication. “We have to undergo dialysis twice a week, and the medication continues as well. If we could get this test done, it might make the process much easier for us,” he said.

He also said sending samples abroad was not a viable option because the donor must be physically present for the examination. As a result, the family cannot simply send blood or urine samples overseas to complete the test.

Jewel added that he had visited Bangladesh Medical University to make inquiries last week, before the Puja holiday, but was unable to obtain definite information there either. He also referred to another child, aged eight or nine, who was reportedly waiting for the same test. According to Jewel, the child’s treatment has also been delayed because the necessary examination has not been arranged.

Appealing on behalf of his family and other patients facing similar difficulties, Jewel urged the authorities to arrange the test urgently. He said not everyone could afford to travel abroad for medical treatment and stressed the importance of ensuring access to necessary diagnostic services and treatment within Bangladesh.

Addressing the prime minister and health minister, Jewel said he hoped they would look into the matter because the test was urgently needed and many people could be affected by the same problem.

He said the uncertainty over when the test could be performed had left his family anxious about the next steps in treatment. He expressed hope that the relevant authorities would take the issue seriously, benefiting his brother and other patients in similar circumstances.

In the caption accompanying the video, Jewel wrote: “Moving forward amid uncertainty. Just waiting and waiting. May Sonar Bangla become a reality not only in books, but in real life too.”

Jewel had previously drawn attention to his brother’s medical condition by seeking the prime minister’s intervention. Masudur Rahman works at the field level of the health sector and has been receiving treatment for a serious kidney condition for an extended period. Alongside regular dialysis, a kidney transplant has been identified as a long-term treatment option.

Although the family has begun preparations for the transplant and their mother is willing to donate a kidney, the lack of access to the required test has become a major obstacle to moving forward.