Cancer centre to be established at a cost of Tk 150 cr

Chattogram Bureau :

The primary proposal of the Cancer Centre (CC) has recently been approved by the Health Ministry recently. 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 centers 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 government has embarked upon a plan to set up a 100-bed full-fledged medical centre for the cancer patients of the
 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 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 centers should be set up, where the deadly disease may be diagnosed. After completion of the cancer centers at eight divisional headquarters, around 800 cancer patients across the country will receive global standard treatment.