Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) has received medicines worth nearly Tk 280 million from the US-based charitable organization Direct Relief for free distribution among patients.

The consignment arrived at the hospital on Thursday through the efforts of Professor Dr. Md. Azizul Haque Azad of the Department of Medicine.

Hospital spokesperson Dr. Shankar Kumar Biswas said the shipment included 696 syringes of the biologic drug Adalimumab, valued at around Tk 280 million, reports BSS.

The medicines will be provided free of charge to eligible hospitalised patients suffering from ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and other complex diseases. Professor Azad will supervise the patient selection process.

Direct Relief provides medical assistance worldwide by supplying medicines and healthcare materials directly to hospitals and patients.

Earlier, RMCH received medicines worth about Tk 1.0 billion in March this year and Tk 360 million in November last year through the initiative of Professor Azad. Medicines worth nearly Tk 170 million for heart patients were also arranged in August last year.

Professor Azad expressed gratitude to the hospital authorities and the Directorate General of Drug Administration for their support in importing the medicines, saying that many patients are benefiting from the free treatment.