For Cancer-care
The good news is: Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) Radio-therapy Department has a simulator that can locate any cancerous tumour in human body with accuracy. The bad news is: this one-crore-taka sophisticated device has been unutilised since its installation in December 1997. And the worst news is: in the process a legion of cancer patients have been and are being deprived of the treatment they deserve, since this modern technology is here, from the DMCH Radio-therapy (RT) Department.
The Daily Star report Thursday last revealed that due to some defective appliances in the machine it could not be made operative, even after more than a year, to the distress of Bangladesh's increasing number of cancer-afflicted patients. Patients with malignancy are still being treated with the old 'X-Ray Exposure' doses. Using this old assemblage one always runs the risk of not being healed effectively.
To our shock and disquiet, the authority concerned did not take the trouble to replace the flawed parts of the simulator. Doctors at the RT Department of DMCH did not come up with any comment or explanation for reasons better known to them. And the executive officer, after communicating this to officials concerned, is still waiting for the precise information on the problem to solve it. Now, it is legible to come to a conclusion that there is a distinct lack of coordination between the department concerned and the administration. No wonder, other departments of the DMCH are plagued with this 'coordination malady' as well. And if such is the state of affairs at a leading hospital of the country, then the same or worse must be the condition at other hospitals and health-care of the entire populace simply in dire straits. This situation cannot be allowed to continue while there run countrywide whistle-blowing anti-cancer campaigns and 'health-for-all' initiatives.
People carrying malignant tumours or other unwanted growths within their persons are already suffering in terms of 'pain', 'time' and 'money'. All they need is doctoring with 'care' which may lessen their pain or even cure them. But this uncaring attitude on the part of a principal health establishment does not seem to be of any relief or benefit to any one not to speak of the sufferers. We strongly urge the 'life-savers' to care for the ailing humanity at least and make arrangements to put the simulator in operation immediately.
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