Cancer treatment inaccessible to masses
Lack of a multi-disciplinary approach has made cancer treatment inaccessible to the masses, and it's causing around 75 percent cancer patients to die within a year of diagnosis, speakers at a conference said yesterday.
Demanding a National Cancer Control Council, they also alleged that the government's five-year strategic plan adopted in 2009 has not been implemented fully.
Marking World Cancer day 2019, several non-profit organisations including Community Oncology Foundation of Bangladesh and Public Health Foundation of Bangladesh (PHFB) jointly organised the discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Dr Habibullah Talukder, an associate professor of National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), read out a written statement where he placed a 14-point demand.
There is a need for population-based cancer database instead of existing hospital-based registration system, said Talukder.
1.08 lakh cancer patients die while another 1.5 lakh are being diagnosed every year in Bangladesh, said Talukder, referring to a recent study by International Agency for Research on Cancer.
In the statement, he demanded the establishment of eight cancer centres in eight divisional cities with all treatment facilities.
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