Health experts said the number of cancer patients is increasing at an alarming rate in Bangladesh as nearly three lakh people are affected by cancer diseases every year.
Of the affected cancer patients, around two lakh people are killed by the deadly disease annually, they said this recently while speaking at the BCS International Cancer Congress and Health Fair-2017 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city.
Bangladesh Cancer Society (BCS) in cooperation with International Union for Cancer Control and Global Cancer Institute organized the cancer congress.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Director General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) National Professor Prof Brig(retd) Dr Abdul Malik, President of Bangladesh Medical Association Dr Mostafa Jalal Muhiuddin, Dean of Faculty of Basic Science of BSMMU Prof Dr M Iqbal Arslan, among others, addressed the cancer congress with BCS President Prof Dr Mollah Obayedullah Baki in the chair.
Mozammel said Bangladesh has achieved a remarkable progress in the field of health in the past eight years as the government has implemented various effective programmes.
He said target has been set for reducing epidemic of non-communicable diseases, including cancer, to one third for ensuring sustainable diseases in the country.
“I hope this congress will make a good contribution to fulfill the target,” Mozammel added.
Unhealthy lifestyle is largely responsible for a rapid rise of cancer diseases in the world as well as in Bangladesh, other speakers said adding early detection of cancer can save lives of the people.
They stressed on launching a massive campaign to create mass awareness among the people to prevent outbreak of the cancer diseases.
