Health Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain on Wednesday informed Parliament that around 167,000 new cancer cases are detected annually in Bangladesh, while over 1 lakh people die from cancer-related causes each year.
Responding to a question from BNP MP of reserved woman seat Sanjida Yasmeen, the minister cited the GLOBOCAN 2022 report of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which estimates that 316,417 people in Bangladesh are living with cancer or undergoing treatment, based on five-year prevalence data.
The minister said breast and cervical cancers are the most common among women while lung cancer and cancers of the mouth and lips are the most prevalent among men in the country.
To determine the actual number of cancer patients and develop a reliable national database, the government is operating both Population-Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) and Hospital-Based Cancer Registry programmes through the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), he said.
Sakhawat Husain also outlined several measures taken to ensure better treatment for cancer patients.
He said the government is implementing a project to establish 100-bed comprehensive cancer treatment units at eight divisional government medical college hospitals.
These units will expand access to radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgical oncology services at the divisional level.
The minister said the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka, is continuing its role as the country's principal specialised institution for cancer treatment and research.
Efforts are also underway to increase its bed capacity and improve infrastructure, he added.
Besides, chemotherapy drugs and other essential treatment materials are being supplied regularly to government medical college hospitals and other specialised hospitals for cancer patients, he added.
The Health Minister said the government has adopted a series of measures to build a transparent and accountable healthcare system and eliminate the influence of middlemen and corruption in the health sector.
The government is implementing a range of initiatives to make healthcare services more people-friendly, transparent and free from corruption, he added.
He said the digitalisation of healthcare services at all levels has been strengthened to ensure service quality and reduce opportunities for interference by middlemen.
As part of the effort, the government has modernised the central Supply Chain Management System to improve monitoring of medicine distribution and ensure greater transparency in the supply chain, he added.
The minister said the scope of telemedicine services has also been expanded to bring healthcare closer to people's doorsteps. This has reduced patient harassment and made it easier for people to receive consultations directly from specialist physicians.
To improve accountability, a robust monitoring committee has been formed to collect feedback from patients receiving services at hospitals and to conduct regular oversight of healthcare facilities, he said.
Administrative action is being taken against those responsible whenever irregularities or lapses in service delivery are detected, the minister added.
Sakhawat Husain said the government is maintaining strict oversight of the prices of essential medicines to curb profiteering by unscrupulous groups, while relevant policies are being updated in the public interest.
He reiterated that the government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against corruption and is committed to ensuring quality healthcare services for people across the country.
The minister further said mobile court operations are being conducted regularly under the leadership of hospital authorities and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle middleman networks operating in hospitals.
The government's efforts to establish a transparent, accountable and corruption-free healthcare sector will continue uninterrupted, he told Parliament.