The government has undertaken an initiative to strengthen five Nuclear Medicine Institutes with modern equipment to provide advanced nuclear medical services to the poor and common people.
As part of the government move, a project proposal for capacity building of the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS) of Mitford, Comilla, Faridpur, Barisal and Bogra has been sent to the Planning Commission.
A total cost of Tk 214.79 crore has been estimated for its implementation.
If the project is implemented, the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INSAM) of Mitford, Comilla, Faridpur, Barisal and Bogra will purchase some new modern equipment and have infrastructural development to enhance patient services.
The poor and ordinary people of the mentioned districts of the country will be given the latest and advanced nuclear medical services at minimum cost.
Mosammat Nasima Begum, a member of the Socio-Economic Infrastructure Department of the Planning Commission responsible for the project, said that some new modern equipment will be purchased for the proposed project INSAM of Mitford, Comilla, Faridpur, Barisal and Bogra.
"Infrastructural development will be done to enhance patient services. Providing the latest and most advanced nuclear medicine services to the poor and common people of the mentioned districts is the main focus," said Nasima.
She said that increasing the capacity of the institutes' diagnosis and improving the patient control system and providing various types of diagnosis and treatment services through nuclear methods will pave the way.
She also said, "Such initiative is expected to contribute to the country's foreign exchange savings and socio-economic development."
An official of the Planning Commission said that the Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting was held on April 13 this year after receiving the proposal from the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Following the recommendations given in that meeting, the project has been recommended to present in the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) which will be held on 16 August (Today).
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission will implement it by June 2025 if approved.
According to the project proposal, nuclear medicine is a fast modern medical technique.
Through this treatment procedure, it is possible to identify the details of various complex diseases at the very beginning of the disease.
In addition to the diagnosis of various diseases using nuclear medicine, radioisotopes are used to treat thyroid cancer and other thyroid-related diseases.
Due to the ability to accurately diagnose the disease, the number of people taking up this treatment will increase significantly in the future as well as the vast development of this treatment.
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has been providing nuclear medicine services for more than 50 years along with various research activities.
The scope of this medical service has been extended by establishing INMAS in government medical college hospital campuses located in different parts of the country to provide low-cost nuclear medical services to the general public.
The installed modern equipment can detect cancer, coronary artery disease, brain disorders through PET scan, liver, gall bladder, kidney disease, uterine and ovarian disease, thyroid, breast and other small organs examination, arm and leg blood vessel disease diagnosis, abdominal artery aneurysm detection through ultrasound machine, A BMD machine diagnoses osteoporosis and measures the extent of improvement after treatment.
The facility also offers thyroid cancer treatment through radiotherapy.
The main activities of the project are, the purchase of 103 foreign machinery and other equipment, purchase of 628 local machinery and other equipment, procurement of 769 pieces of furniture, and purchase of electrical equipment.
