Mohammad Mostafa Kamal travelled from Gopalganj to the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) in Dhaka for radiotherapy after undergoing surgery for an abdominal tumour and completing chemotherapy.
He arrived at the hospital on the morning of Monday to seek an appointment, only to learn that the radiotherapy department was no longer accepting new registrations.
“My doctor told me I would need radiotherapy after chemotherapy, but I cannot get an appointment. We are poor people and cannot afford treatment at a private hospital. I travelled all the way from Gopalganj to receive treatment at a government facility, but I still cannot get a slot,” he said.
Sathia Khatun, who travelled from Tangail after undergoing surgery for breast cancer, faced the same problem.
“The doctors told me they were not accepting new registrations. I cannot afford a private hospital, so I have to rely on government treatment. We live hand to mouth,” she said.
“The hospital told me I would have to wait two years because the machines are out of order. I did not even know radiotherapy was unavailable here. I travelled all the way from my village, but I cannot get treatment,” she added.
Like Kamal and Sathia, thousands of cancer patients are facing prolonged waits for radiotherapy at the country's premier public cancer hospital.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than half of all cancer patients worldwide may require radiotherapy at some stage of their treatment. The organisation has stressed the need to expand access while ensuring safe, quality care.
Four of six machines out of order
Hospital sources said four of NICRH's six radiotherapy machines had been out of service for more than two years.
The remaining two are handling the hospital's patient load, with more than 7,000 people waiting for treatment. Some patients have appointments scheduled for the end of 2028.
New registrations have been suspended for the past month and a half because the hospital can no longer accommodate additional patients, authorities said.
Doctors said radiotherapy often needs to begin promptly after cancer surgery, depending on the patient's condition and treatment plan. Delays can raise concerns about cancer recurrence or its spread to other parts of the body.
During a visit to the hospital, this correspondent found the two functioning machines being used to treat existing patients and those already on the waiting list. Staff said the machines were operating beyond their intended capacity.
Doctors said an average of 250–300 patients receive treatment daily in three shifts, from 8am to midnight.
NICRH Director Professor Dr Mostafa Aziz Sumon told Dhaka Tribune that new registrations had been stopped because existing appointments were already scheduled through the end of 2028.
“It is not acceptable for cancer patients to wait two years for treatment. Around 7,500 patients are waiting for appointments. We are providing as much treatment as possible using our two functioning machines,” he said.
He expressed hope that new machines would arrive by mid-2027, allowing the hospital to treat more patients and reduce waiting times.
Shortage of equipment and specialists
Cancer treatment is often prolonged and expensive, leaving many middle- and low-income families unable to afford private healthcare. As a result, patients from across the country depend on NICRH for comparatively affordable treatment.
Doctors at the hospital said a course of radiotherapy generally takes four to eight weeks to complete. Although new patients were previously registered alongside those already receiving treatment, the growing patient load has forced the hospital to suspend registrations temporarily.
Experts said a single specialised hospital could not handle the treatment needs of the country's large cancer patient population. They called for expanded cancer care at divisional and district levels, alongside adequate equipment and trained personnel.
They also stressed that purchasing radiotherapy machines alone would not be enough. The country needs more trained radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation therapists to ensure access to modern cancer treatment.
Public health and vaccinologist Tajul Islam A Bari described the prolonged wait for radiotherapy at a government hospital as deeply distressing for patients with a life-threatening disease.
“Delays in treatment increase risks to patients' lives. Questions are also being raised about why the government did not arrange the necessary machines earlier to address the crisis,” he said.
He called for urgent alternative arrangements, including coordination with private hospitals, to ensure patients could receive treatment without further delays.
Govt plans 17 new machines
According to 2024 estimates from GLOBOCAN, compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) under the WHO, approximately 187,263 people were newly diagnosed with cancer in Bangladesh in 2024. Of them, 107,820 were men and 79,443 were women.
A large proportion receive treatment at public and private hospitals, while some travel abroad for care. The relatively low cost of treatment at NICRH contributes to its heavy patient load.
Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain said the number of cancer patients in Bangladesh was rising at an alarming rate. The government was working to make cancer treatment more accessible and decentralised so patients would not have to wait six to eight months for radiotherapy, he said.
As part of the initiative, 17 new linear accelerators will be installed at government hospitals by June 2027. Six will go to specialised hospitals and medical colleges in Dhaka, while the remaining 11 will be installed at government hospitals outside the capital.
The expansion is expected to give patients outside Dhaka access to modern cancer treatment closer to home and at lower costs.
The minister said the government would not tolerate bureaucratic delays in installing new equipment or removing old, non-functional machines. Measures would also be taken to facilitate the swift import of life-saving cancer treatment equipment, including exemptions from customs duties.
