Govt plans to expand cancer care services

The plan includes cancer hospitals in all divisional cities, expanded screening facilities and training for primary healthcare workers to promote early detection.

The government plans to expand cancer screening and treatment services across the country over the next five years, aiming to bring care closer to people’s doorsteps, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr M A Muhit has said.

He made the announcement on Saturday while speaking as the chief guest at a national stakeholder consultation meeting titled “Strengthening Cancer Care Services in Bangladesh”, jointly organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the World Health Organization (WHO) at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka.

Highlighting the prevalence of breast, colorectal and oral cancers in Bangladesh, Muhit underscored the importance of raising public awareness and expanding screening facilities to ensure early detection.

He said primary healthcare workers would receive the necessary training to help identify potential cancer cases at an early stage.

The government has already announced plans to establish cancer hospitals in all divisional cities, he said.

To strengthen coordination and ensure effective implementation of cancer control initiatives, the government will also establish a National Cancer Control Programme and a National Cancer Control Council, he added.

The planned initiatives aim to expand access to cancer prevention, early detection and treatment services beyond major urban centres.