The government has approved 200 additional beds for the country’s only specialised cancer hospital, raising its capacity from 500 to 700 beds to help cope with the overwhelming patient load.
It has also approved the launch of healthcare services at the additional beds, according to a letter issued by the Health Services Division of the health ministry today (16 September).
Signed by Deputy Secretary Kazi Sharif Uddin Ahmed, the letter said the administrative approval was granted following concurrence from the Finance Division to upgrade the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) to 700 beds and launch services at the additional beds.
The approval is subject to compliance with all relevant rules, regulations, formalities and procedures, it said.
Dr Mostafa Aziz Sumon, director of NICRH, told The Business Standard that the hospital has a plan to eventually expand its capacity to 1,200 beds, but the process would take time.
“So, I proposed that if the existing capacity is given administrative approval, we could add another 200 beds using the facilities we already have,” he said.
The hospital’s cabin block is currently vacant, while a newly built block has 100 beds and 32 cabins, he said.
“By using these facilities together, we can accommodate around 200 patients,” Dr Sumon said, adding that he had proposed government funding for the beds, patients’ food costs and some recurring expenses.
However, the hospital still needs to expand its capacity further, he added.
Hospital sources said 1,200 to 1,500 patients receive outpatient services at the facility every day. Many patients requiring admission have to wait several months for a bed.
The 500-bed hospital has long struggled to accommodate the growing number of cancer patients, particularly those from outside Dhaka.
According to the Bangladesh Cancer Society, an estimated 13 lakh to 15 lakh people in Bangladesh are currently living with cancer. Around 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, while approximately 150,000 people die from the disease annually.
Cancer treatment remains heavily concentrated in Dhaka, with low-income patients relying largely on the National Cancer Institute.
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