Friday, 29 Mar, 2024
  Dhaka
Friday, 29 Mar, 2024
The Daily Post

There is a motive behind patients traveling overseas: Planning minister

Staff Reporter

There is a motive behind patients traveling overseas: Planning minister

Planning Minister MA Mannan has said the government is trying to provide universal health care for people of all walks of life in the country. There is everything from specialist doctors to surgeons in the country. Still, 80 percent of the patients are going abroad for treatment. There must be a gap behind it.

He said this while addressing the Dhaka Cancer Summit-2022 organized by the Medical Oncology Society in Bangladesh at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Friday morning. 

The planning minister said that 20-30 years ago there was no institute in the country including eyes and heart, now many have happened. But you still have to do better. Because there is talk of competition for good work.

"Sadly, even though our medical system has improved, thousands of people go to India, Singapore, and Bangkok every day for treatment. Thousands of people fly to Delhi, Madras, Singapore, and Bangkok every day. It‍‍`s okay that many people go for study purposes but a large part is going to get treatment. There must be a reason behind it.

The minister also said that 25-30 types of medicines are being provided free of cost in the community clinics. However, the reason for not fulfilling these clinics is the reason behind it. Everyone has to work hard to implement the pace of our socio-economic change, the plan to reach the country of development by 2040-41. For this, the emphasis should also be on the medical system in rural areas. Two-thirds of the country‍‍`s population lives in villages.

Ma Mannan urged the doctors to emphasize on the research, saying, "We are not doing research here. That‍‍`s why the Prime Minister is also very angry. Research is one of the main tasks of doctors. If the money is needed, the government will give it.

Director of National Cancer Research Institute and Hospital Prof. Dr. Swapan Kumar Bandopadhyay said, "Cancer is a very expensive treatment. Its incidence has increased in recent times. In rural areas, patients of various types of cancer, including oral cancer, are seen. But there is no provision for their treatment at the Upazila level. As a result, most of the patients have to go to Dhaka. Especially at the National Cancer Institute and Hospital. It is possible to reduce these patients if there is a screening system at the local level.

Additional Director General of the Department of Health Prof. Dr. Ahmedul Kabir said cancer treatment is a major problem all over the world. Not only the elderly but the younger ones are also being affected. For this, there is no alternative to increasing the diagnosis. We have some limitations. Diagnosis is most important in diagnosing cancer. Our country‍‍`s biggest crisis infrastructure is still weak. The cardiac condition is much better. But we are still lagging behind in cancer. There needs to be a roadmap for the stage at which cancer patients can go in the future.

 

JH