Full-fledged cancer treatment centre in the offing in Ctg

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CHATTOGRAM, June 20, 2018 (BSS)- The government has embarked upon a plan
to set up a 100-bed full-fledged medical centre for the cancer patients of
Chattogram city .

With special initiative of the present government, the proposed 100-bed
cancer centre will be established within the premises of Chattogram Medical
College Hospital (CMCH) at a cost of nearly Taka 150 crore.

The primary proposal of the cancer centre (CC) has recently been
approved by the Health Ministry.

Director of CMCH Brigadier General Jalal Uddin Ahmed said he has already
received the approved copy of the proposal from the concerned ministry.

He said as part of the Prime Minister’s initiative, eight full-fledged
100-bed cancer treatment centre are being established in each government
medical hospital situated in the eight divisional head quarters.

Jalal said that the construction work of the cancer centre is expected
to begin in the next fiscal. The approved proposal includes – suggestion
related to infrastructure development, procurement of medical equipments and
manpower employment for the centre, he added.

In the preamble of the centre, it was proposed for procurement of more
four radiotherapy machines in addition to the existing one at CMCH at an
estimated cost of TK 47 crore.

The expenditure for infrastructure development of the centre is
estimated at TK 10 crore besides, 53 employees including oncologists and
other medical staffs will be appointed at the centre, the sources said.

CMCH Director apprised that the number of total cancer patients across
the country is about 15 lakhs and the ratio of the cancer patients are
increasing gradually.

“At present death rate with deadly disease is 7% and by 2030 the
percentage will go up to 13% on the other hand, there are only 26 cancer
treatment centres across the country where only 50 thousand patients can
avail advantages of the treatment’, said CMCH Director.

He said out of the 26 centers, 10 centers belong to private management
where treatment is highly expensive. The poor and mid-income people cannot
afford to have treatment there.

Besides, there are only 10 radiotherapy machines for cancer treatment
across the country while the number of cancer consultants and specialists are
only 170 including public and private management.

The CMCH official further said there are only 560 beds for cancer
patients in government hospitals and clinics and according to ratio of
population, more cancer treatment centres should be set up, where the deadly
disease may be diagnosed.

After completion of the cancer centres at eight divisional headquarters,
around 800 cancer patients across the country will receive global standard
treatment.