Every year nearly 13,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, according to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital statistics.
However, hospitals lack adequate facilities to provide medical care for these children.
A survey of the hospitals showed that there are only 21 cancer specialist and 97 beds in hospitals across the country.
The department doesn’t just lack doctors and beds but experienced nurses and technicians are also scarce.
According to the doctors, besides the inadequate medical facilities, the families of underprivileged children have a hard time bearing the hefty cost of cancer treatment.
They said that the government must allocate more budgets for this sector and rightly value the specialists.
BSMMU has 31 beds for children diagnosed with cancer, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) has 17, Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has 15, Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) has eight, Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital six, Dhaka Shishu Hospital has 10, National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital has 10. Rajshahi while Sylhet Medical College has no designated beds for this purpose.
DMCH Children Hematology and Oncology Department Professor Dr Zohara Jamila Khan told Bangla Tribune that since the establishment of a cancer department in BSMMU in 1990, the treatment for cancer became available throughout the country in a very limited scope.
Speaking about the challenges she pointed out, “There are 17 beds dedicated for cancer patients while a total of 45 patients are admitted at the moment.”
She also said that they will be able to treat cancer diagnosed children better if another 50 beds dedicated for them.
BSMMU’s Children Hematology and Oncology Department Professor Dr Chowdhury Yakub Jamal said that they run the department with five teachers, one consultant, and one medical officer. They have 31 beds in their department, he added.
Rangpur Medical College Hospital’s Assistant Professor Dr Nushrat Jahan, who also heads the Hematology and Oncology Department, said, “In 2016’s October, we formed an 8-bed ward for cancer diagnosed children. But the number or patients are more than that and we are having to treat them by keeping them in other wards.”
Pointing out another key challenge other than the lack of beds, she said, “There is no mechanism to isolate platelets from the blood. The procedure requires a lab equipped to do so.”
Dhaka Children Hospital’s Deputy Director Dr Abu Taiyab told Bangla Tribune, “We have 10 beds in our children cancer department. However, we treat patients by keeping them in other wards as well.”
Chattogram Medical College Hospital’s Children Hematology and Oncology Department Professor Rezaul Karim said that he is the sole doctor in the 15-bed children ward which is operational since 2013.
DMCH Children Hematology and Oncology department’s Head Professor Dr AKM Amirul Morshed told Bangla Tribune, “A study by one of my students’ has revealed that the key challenge we face while treating cancer is that patients’ families often discontinue the treatment due to a number of reasons.”
The study uncovered for reasons, he said before adding, “First the financial burden as the families need to by a lot of medicines on a regular basis, secondly, lack of patients’ attendant, third, the parents believe that that cancer is incurable, and fourth, the lack of blood and blood products.”
“Besides, children, diagnosed with cancer, are often left deprived of required medicines,” he said.
