Nuzahet Tasnia, a university student in her twenties and resident of Dhaka, started experiencing various health issues, including body ache and general discomfort, in 2022 but doctors could not pinpoint the exact cause. After a long ordeal of wrong diagnosis, faulty treatment and an unnecessary surgery, Tasnia got admitted to a hospital in Chennai, India to have a full-body checkup in 2023.

The results revealed that she was suffering from thyroid cancer. She then underwent a surgery at the Chennai hospital, spending around Tk20 lakh. Had her condition been properly diagnosed at the initial stage in Bangladesh, she could have avoided years of suffering and enormous medical expenses.

To better serve the country’s people and prevent situations like Tasnia’s, the government is establishing more sophisticated diagnostic systems for cancer, which would be highly beneficial for numerous people. This will not only save lives but also reduce financial burdens and prevent unnecessary treatments.

Under the project titled “Establishment of Cyclotron & PET CT at Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS) in Mymensingh and Chattogram and Cyclotron Facilities at Institute of Nuclear Medical Physics (INMP) in Savar”, cutting-edge cyclotron and PET CT facilities are being developed across the country.

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is spearheading the project involving around Tk703 crore. It aims to establish state-of-the-art medical facilities for providing highly specialised cancer care. It is a part of the country’s broader strategy to incorporate nuclear medicine and medical physics technologies in cancer treatment, aiming to offer services like the production of radioisotopes for diagnosis and therapy, especially for cancer.

The initiative also seeks to reduce the growing reliance on foreign medical treatment, improve local healthcare facilities, and ease the pressure on the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.

Currently, only two hospitals in the country – one government facility and one private hospital – offer cyclotron or nuclear medicine therapy for cancer treatment. This lack of infrastructure leaves most patients without access to modern cancer treatments, forcing them to seek medical care abroad or wait for long periods due to the limited availability of these services in the country.

Project director Dr M Monjur Ahasan, also chief scientific officer of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, told the Daily Sun the cyclotron and PET CT facility project marks a significant step forward for Bangladesh in its ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare and combat the rising cancer burden. The establishment of these high-tech medical facilities will help alleviate the strain on foreign healthcare systems, reduce waiting times, and ensure that cancer patients across the country receive timely and world-class treatment.

“While challenges related to procurement and foreign exchange linger on, the Bangladesh government is committed to completing the project on time, with the goal of making cancer diagnosis and treatment both more accessible and sustainable. This initiative will not only improve healthcare outcomes but also play a key role in the country’s long-term socio-economic development,” he added.

Key facilities and goals

The project will result in the establishment of cyclotron machines and PET CT scanners in Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Savar, which will significantly enhance cancer detection and treatment capabilities. Cyclotrons are essential for the production of artificial radioisotopes used in PET scans, a crucial tool for diagnosing various types of cancer such as thyroid, liver, kidney, and bone cancer. These machines will produce the radioactive isotope 18F, which is vital for conducting FDG PET scans that can detect even the most subtle signs of cancer.

The installation of cyclotron machines will enable Bangladesh to produce these isotopes locally, significantly reducing the cost and wait times for cancer treatment.

Additionally, the project aims to train highly skilled professionals in nuclear oncology, medical physics, and nuclear medical technology, ensuring the long-term sustainability of these facilities. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to enable Bangladesh to better manage the increasing burden of cancer cases, while significantly improving healthcare delivery at the national level.

Progress of the Project

As of November 2024, substantial progress has been made in the implementation of the project. The construction of six-story buildings for cyclotron and PET CT installation in Mymensingh and Chattogram is nearing completion. Similarly, the ten-story building in Savar for the Institute of Nuclear Medical Physics (INMP) has also reached its final stages.

The government has already procured essential equipment, including radiochemistry machines, auto FDG injectors, and other necessary devices, although some international supplies are delayed due to complications with the foreign exchange system. The government is actively working to resolve these issues and expedite the procurement process.

According to officials from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, the facilities are expected to be fully operational by mid-2025, which will allow for the production and distribution of 18F and other radioisotopes required for PET CT scans.

Gap between demand and resource availability to be bridged

Currently, around 1.5 lakh cancer-related deaths occur in the country annually, while the demand for PET CT scans is increasing rapidly.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Bangladesh has around one million cancer patients, and nearly 200,000 new cancer cases are reported each year. Unfortunately, the country’s existing medical infrastructure, particularly in advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies like PET CT and cyclotron machines, remains insufficient to meet this demand. As a result, many cancer patients are forced to wait months for treatment or travel abroad for care, further straining the country’s foreign reserves.

The need for these high-tech treatments is particularly acute in regional areas, where cancer care is almost nonexistent. The new cyclotron facilities in Mymensingh, Chattogram, and Savar will significantly reduce the geographic barriers to advanced cancer care, allowing patients in different parts of the country to access the treatments they need.

In addition, the government’s plans to expand cancer hospitals in each of the country’s eight divisional capitals will ensure that cancer care becomes more accessible and affordable for people across the nation. By 2026, the government aims to create a comprehensive network of nuclear medicine facilities that will serve not only cancer patients but also those suffering from other serious health conditions requiring advanced diagnostic techniques.

Currently, there are only two cyclotron machines and eight PET CT scanners in Bangladesh, which can only serve a small fraction of the patient population. It is estimated that these facilities currently cater to around 5,000 to 7,000 patients annually, a tiny fraction of the 200,000 new cancer patients diagnosed every year in the country. Consequently, many patients are deprived of timely access to advanced medical technologies. Patients currently need to wait at least 4 months for serial treatments. In private hospitals, the cost is around Tk65,000 per general treatment procedure including radiotherapy, while in government hospitals, it is around Tk25,500.