Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim said the government will arrange free breast cancer screening in all public hospitals in December every year.
“Women in Bangladesh suffer from breast cancer in younger age compared to the western countries. Therefore, we will hold free breast cancer screening in the month of victory,” he said this on Friday while speaking as chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of Bangladesh Breast Cancer Conference- 2015 at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
The minister said 25 percent of total cancer patients are suffering from breast cancer.
Presided over by Bangladesh Breast Cancer Conference President Prof. Dr. Quamaruzzaman Chowdhury, the function was also addressed by Department of Health Director General Prof. Dr. Deen Mohammad Nurul Haq, US Oncologist Society Vice-President Richard Love, among others.
Bangladesh has become polio-free. Now the country would have to be made free from breast cancer, he added.
There is no alternative to creating awareness for this, the minister said, adding that it is possible to live a healthy life by taking proper treatment for breast cancer.
He urged the owners of private hospitals to make less profit and requested the private entrepreneurs to come forward along with the government to serve the people.
Besides Bangladesh, doctors from the US, India, Singapore and the Philippines took part in the conference.
Meanwhile, a rally was brought out from in front of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Friday morning to create awareness about the breast cancer.
Led by Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, the rally was joined by State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki and former Caretaker Government Adviser Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, among others.
