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Sorry state of childhood cancer treatment

Experts say around 7,000 children are affected with cancer in Bangladesh a year. Of them, 70 percent is curable

Staff Correspondent
Experts at a roundtable yesterday said though 80 percent of the childhood cancer can be cured in developed countries, the situation is quite different in Bangladesh for lack of awareness, proper treatment and diagnostic facilities.
Every year, around 6,000 to 7,000 children are affected with cancer in Bangladesh. But unfortunately most of them are deprived of getting proper treatment, though 70 percent of childhood cancer is curable, they added.
The experts said this at the roundtable titled For the children suffering from cancer' organised by the Prothom Alo at its conference room in the city.
ProfAfiqul Islam, chairman of the department of Paediatric Oncology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said some 268 patients came to his unit from January to August this year. Of them, only 112 patients continued treat-
ments while most of them went away after it was diagnosed cancer.
"As parents find it difficult to manage the huge amount of money for cancer treatment. they often prefer to take their children back to their village homes,” he said, adding that the price of an anti-cancer drug is also high and often the patients are forced to buy a drug at six time higher rate.
Artist Mustafa Monwar said the government should take necessary steps to provide anti-cancer drugs for the affected children and at the same time early detection of the disease be ensured.
Faridur Reza Sagar, managing director of Channel i, stressed the need to work in a coordinated way for the children as well as to increase awareness in society in this regard.
Iftekharul Islam, managing director of Sanofi-Aventis, said cancer survivors could also play an important role in increasing awareness.
“Every hospital should have a separate portion for children where they would find a homely environment and the drugs must be made available for them," said Prof MR Khan, a child specialist, adding: "Even privately if we begin sponsoring one child who needs long-term treatment, it would be a good starting point.”
If the government takes steps, it is not much difficult to raise fund for the treatment of cancer patients, said Prof ABMF Karim.
The experts at the programme underscored the importance of better environ -ment in the hospitals as many of the childhood cancer patientsdie of infection.
They also suggested activating different organisations working on cancer awareness and treatment.
The suggestions include decentralisation of cancer treatment, community participation. imposing more tax on cigarettes and alcohols and to utilise at least 2 percent of the tax for treatment of cancer
patients.
Editor of the Prothom Alo Matiur Rahman moderated the roundtable where Dr Mostofa Zaman of World Health Organisation, Prof MA
Mannan, Salma Chowdhury of Ashic Foundation, Prof MA Hai of Bangladesh Cancer Hospital and Welfare Home, Dr Quamruzzaman, Dr Mollah Obaydullah Baki of
National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, Kazi Rafiqul Alam of Dhaka Ahsania Mission and cancer survivor Rifat Kabir also spoke.