Cancer kills one lakh people per year in Bangladesh: Health Minister

There are around 15 to 18 lakh people suffering from cancer and of them, around one lakh people die from the disease every year in Bangladesh, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said on Wednesday.

The majority of the death was caused by cervical and breast cancer. At least seven people per 13,000 and five people per 8,000 meet their end of lives caused by cervical and breast cancer respectively, he said.

While addressing a programme on cervical and breast cancer held in Dhaka, Maleque said, “It is three times higher than the number of people who have died in the last three years from coronavirus.”

Expressing grave concern over the growing number of cancer and kidney diseases in the country, he called up the women to remain careful as they are the worst victims of cervical and breast cancer.

health minister also asked the concerned authorities to detect the diseases at the early stage through screening and send them to specialised hospitals for quick treatment.

He also blamed the polluted and unhealthy environment and water and adulterated food and smoking habit for increasing the diseases in the human body.

“We will have to put the utmost importance on treating the cancer patients in the country. We are now establishing eight cancer and kidney specialised hospitals at eight divisional headquarters across the country to accelerate the treatment,” he said.