Ctg Cancer hospital set to start journey 5 Nov

A full-fledged cancer treatment hospital, built with private initiative, is likely to be inaugurated in the Chittagong city on 5 November.

The hospital, built at a cost of about Tk130 crore near the Chittagong Mother and Child Hospital, is expected to be inaugurated by Land Minister Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed. The installation of necessary equipment has been completed. This specialised hospital will provide all types of cancer treatment services, including radiotherapy.

Authorities said construction work on the 150-bed cancer institute building began in 2021 on 10 kathas of land acquired from the government next to Chittagong Mother and Child Hospital. 

The hospital has been built with financial donations, ranging from Tk10 to Tk1 crore, from people from home and abroad. A 10-storey building of 80,000 square feet has been built for the hospital.

Cancer Hospital Implementation Committee General Secretary Rezaul Karim Azad told The Business Standard, "Our preparations are in the final stages. The first full-fledged cancer treatment hospital has been established in Chittagong with private initiative. This hospital will provide world-class cancer treatment facilities."

According to hospital records, in the Chattogram division, more than 5 lakh people out of 2 crore people are suffering from cancer. On average, more than 50 thousand new patients are diagnosed with cancer every year and 136 people are at risk of being diagnosed with cancer every day. 

Patients say currently they have to rely heavily on the Chattogram Medical College (CMC) Hospital. However, the radiotherapy and chemotherapy machines break down every few days, they allege.