Staff Reporter
Health and Family Wel-fare Minister Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain yester-day said 17 new radio-therapy machines will be installed at hospitals across the country to make cancer treatment more accessible.
“Of these, six will be installed at specialized hospitals and medical colleges in Dhaka, while 11 will be installed at hospitals outside the cap-ital,” he said at a press conference at the Secre-tariat yesterday.
He said training pro-grammes for the required technicians and man-power have already be-gun.
The minister said the number of cancer pa-tients is increasing rapid-ly, while ensuring treat-ment for poor people has become a major chal-lenge due to shortages and malfunctioning chemotherapy and radio-therapy equipment.
“Many lives could be saved if treatment for complex diseases like cancer is started on time,” he said, adding that the government is working to bring visible changes in the health sector.
Sakhawat also an-nounced that a year-long nationwide family plan-ning campaign will begin on December 1, 2026 and continue until No-vember 30, 2027.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will formally inaugurate the program, he added.
Under the campaign, birth-control materials and counseling will be provided door-to-door, alongside rallies, fairs and awareness programs, he said.
The slogan will be: “Not more than two children, one is better,” he added.
Regarding dengue, the minister said treatment and saline supplies are being ensured in line with WHO protocols.
Doctors have been asked to remain vigilant over changes in dengue strains and rising post-dengue cardiac complications, he said.
According to ministry data, 94,356 dengue pa-tients have been hospital-ized since January, with 88,299 recovering and being discharged.
