The number of cancer patients is on the rise in Bangladesh. According to media sources, there are about 12 lakh cancer patients in the country and every year two lakh people are attacked by cancer and 1.5 lakh people die of the disease. Reportedly, around 59 per cent of the deaths in Bangladesh are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCD), 10 per cent of which are caused by cancer. The National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) statistics suggest that the top 20 causes of death in Bangladesh include four types of cancer – oral, oesophageal, cervical and breast.
The cost of cancer treatment is so high in Bangladesh that only 20 per cent of patients regularly go for treatment. Also, lack of adequate radiation facilities, shortage of skilled manpower, and lack of awareness within the community are the main challenges hindering cancer care in Bangladesh. On top of that, unavailability of trained medical personnel has been an impediment to development of radiation treatment facilities in the country.
We need to prioritise
prevention and early
detection of cancer
over treatment
In Bangladesh, only a handful of government hospitals and one or two private ones have radiotherapy/oncology departments while others provide only medical oncology service. Therefore, necessary steps should be taken to train medical physicists and therapists in order to provide modern radiation treatment facilities at home.
Cancer is 95 percent curable if it is identified at the primary stage but unfortunately majority of our patients are identified at the advanced stage because of lack of awareness. Authorities concerned should therefore devise initiatives to make people aware of the cancer. We need to prioritise prevention and early detection of cancer over treatment.
It needs no emphasizing that concerted efforts by the government and private sectors are needed for gradual progress in cancer care management. Necessary steps should be taken to decrease the treatment cost of cancer. There is a need to create a new or updated cancer control plan supported by accurate data, reliable cancer registries and monitoring and evaluation programmes.
