Remove barriers to radioactive isotope import
We are concerned at the way hospitals are refusing critical cancer, heart, kidney and liver patients who need to have emergency medical tests done for their treatment. Reportedly, the patients' treatment has been on hold for the last two months, because of a lack of supply of radioactive isotope, an essential component for over 80 percent of nuclear medicine procedures. Bangladesh imports this element—also known as Technetium-99m or Tc-99m—from Turkey. But since the suspension of international commercial flights with Turkey in mid-March after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, it has not been able to import Tc-99m.
The crucial medical tests done using the radioactive isotopes are conducted at 14 centres under the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), which are attached to government hospitals across the country. Besides, the National Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (NINMAS) at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) also conducts the tests. And all the 15 centres are managed by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), which is under the Ministry of Science and Technology. Although 15 lakh cancer patients in the country depend on these institutions for their treatment and well-being, it is unfortunate that neither the INMAS Dhaka nor BAEC websites have an announcement that these crucial medical tests are unavailable at present. Meanwhile, thousands of patients are left in uncertainty as the hospitals did not even provide them with any information as to when they might start the tests again.
Under the circumstances, to ensure treatment of the critically ill cancer, liver, heart and kidney patients, the government must take immediate measures to resume the operation of special cargo flights with Turkey so that this crucial element can be imported without further delay. The government should also look for other countries from which it can import radioactive isotopes, if it fails to import the element from Turkey on an urgent basis. Besides, since radioactive isotopes are very crucial for cancer treatment, the government should discuss with the BAEC if it is possible for them to locally produce the material to treat our cancer patients in the future.
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