State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit -File photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, Sept 7, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr MA Muhit today said that construction of physical infrastructures for eight divisional cancer hospitals is progressing rapidly across the country, while procurement of equipment and deployment of specialist manpower are at the final stage.

He made the remarks in Jatiya Sangsad while replying to a supplementary question from Independent MP Mohammad Salman Omar of Mymensingh-1.

The state minister said, “We expect that these cancer hospitals will become fully operational within the next fiscal year.”

Replying to another supplementary question from Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis MP Sayed Uddin Ahmad Hanzala of Madaripur-1, Dr MA Muhit said the country’s health sector has long suffered from a shortage of manpower and the government has been working to address the problem since assuming office.

He said efforts have been made over the last six months to appoint new doctors at every upazila.  Although gynecologists are particularly important and necessary, there remains a shortage of specialists in this field. Measures are being taken to recruit new doctors and deploy trained physicians.

“You will receive more new doctors very soon. However, we need some more time to ensure the availability of specialist physicians,” the state minister said.

Replying to a question from ruling party lawmaker from reserved seat Helen Zerin Khan, the state minister said that some of the country’s 15 Medical Assistant Training Schools (MATS) have remained non-operational despite the construction of buildings years ago.

He said steps have already been taken regarding eight MATS institutions and work is underway to make them operational. “The remaining institutions will be opened in phases.” he said.

The state minister said the process of launching these institutions is lengthy, as recruitment of manpower and completion of several procedures are required before gradual operation can begin.