Fifty-year-old Nasima Khatun (not real name) saw heavy eyes laden with disappointment when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. The fear of the deadly disease hung heavy on the sensitive soul of Nasima who used to live in Bashaboo area of the city.
She is a mother of three children- a daughter and two sons. Her husband is a private job holder. Two years ago, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer bringing in her the consciousness that everything is so temporary. She underwent on an operation at a private clinic and later she went to India for better treatment.
Now, she is taking chemotherapy after every four months. In fact, the full family faces a lot of problems and suffers financial loss due to the cancer treatment.
Fifty-three-year-old Rafiza Akther (not real name) was diagnosed with breast cancer four years back. At first, she undertook treatment at a clinic. But, later, her family suggested her to go to India and she went to Chennai in India. The doctors carried out an operation on her breast (left).
Hundreds of women like Nasima and Rafiza are suffering from cervical and breast cancers in the country.
In Bangladesh breast and cervical cancers are the commonest cancers, and it needs to focus on women’s breast and cervical cancers.
According to statistic, about 14,000 women died due to the two cancers.
The government has taken a plan to increase the allocation of the running project to protect the women. The initiative has been taken under ‘Electronic Data Tracking with Population-based Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening Programme (EPCBCSP). At present, a proposal to extend the periphery and activities of the project has been sent to the planning commission for its second revision.
An official of the Planning Commission has told that currently the project is going on. The cervical and breast cancers have been increased alarmingly and the time frame of the project has been increased to protect the women from the two cancers, he added.
As per the statistic, about 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in every year. Of them, 6,582 died. On the other hand, about 14,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer while about 7,000 died of them.
Experts said it is very much crucial to form the EPCBCSP by the government as the women at the root-level would get the scope of screening of the two deadly cancers.
Concerned said the main cost of the project which is being implemented by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) was Taka 49.50 crore. Later in the first amendment, the cost has been increased to Taka 56.78 crore and in the second amendment to taka 198.95 crore.
Project concerned of BSMMU said the cost and time have been increased due to implementation of all aspects of the project. The time of implementation of the ongoing project was fixed by June, 2022. Now the new time has been fixed and it is June, 2024.
BSMMU Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed said many women are at risks and die due to these cancers. But, increasing awareness is one of the pioneer primary treatments in protecting cancer, he added.
He said different programmes will be taken across the country to create awareness at root levels. Researches will be carried out in the BSMMU to find out ways of cure from the diseases, he added.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)