A rapid increase in non-communicable chronic diseases in the country due to changes in the people’s lifestyle and food habit has alarmed health experts.
They said that the government’s health department was neglecting the problem.
They said that it was time for the health department to pay attention to tackle the spread of non-communicable chronic diseases.
National Professor and secretary general of National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute retired Brigadier General Abdul Malek described the problem as ‘alarming.’
Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases are the major non-communicable chronic diseases affecting Bangladeshis.
In the absence of research-based data, experts said that that they raised the alarm depending on hospital data which shows that there has been a rapid increase in non-communicable chronic patients.
They said that the number of the patients the hospitals were admitting or treating was swelling each day.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data of 2006 shows eight in 20 top causes of deaths in the country as non-communicable chronic diseases.
According to a World Health Organisation study done in 2007 non communicable chronic diseases account for one third of all admission of patients above 30 in the medical college hospitals across Bangladesh.
It shows the country has 49,000 oral cancer patients under treatment in these hospitals, 71,000 laryngeal cancer patients and 196,000 lung cancer cases, all aged 30 or more.
According to the study 3.6 per cent of the patients in the age bracket admitted to the medical college hospitals suffer from cancers of oral cavity, larynx and lungs.
A separate study down by the Who in 2005 shows that three of the patients in the age bracket and six per cent of admitted patients in the teaching hospitals suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
It shows that 98,071 persons aged 30 or above died and 8,58,793 others in the age bracket suffered disabilities in 2004 as a consequence of seven select non-communicable chronic diseases.
According to its records, the number of admitted diabetes patients increased from 368 in 1960 to 18,493 in 2001 at the BIRDEM Hospital.
According to the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh sixty lakh Bangladeshis are suffering from diabetes and the number could increase to one crore 10 lakh by 2030 unless proper preventive measures were taken in time.
A nationwide community based Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey of 8,20,000 people of all the age groups done in 2000 showed that 70,000 deaths, 30,000 of them under 18, are caused a year deaths due to injuries.
A National Blindness and Low Vision Survey done in 2000 showed that 1.53 per cent of people aged 30 or above were visually impaired.
A nationwide survey on mental health done from 2003-2005 revealed that 16 per cent of adults was suffering from some sorts of mental disorders.
Experts said that the health department, having no dedicated wing to deal with non-communicable chronic diseases, has been neglecting the problem.
Syed M Akram Hussain, professor of oncology at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said the government should pay due attention to combat growing problem of non-communicable chronic diseases.
A former consultant of WHO on non-communicable chronic diseases, he said, Bangladesh should address the issue as a matter of priority in its national health policy.
He also suggested for the development of the facilities for the treatment of of non communicable chronic diseases.
The Health service director general Shah Monir Hussain said that the government appointed an expert in the treatment of non-communicable chronic diseases as the director of medical education.
He said, ‘I think the NCD programme is doing well.’
He, however, said a dedicated wing with the needed work force could do the job better and faster.
‘We are pushing for a director to exclusively look after NCD,’ he said.
He said that the proposal was awaiting approval of the establishment ministry.
Brigadier Malik and Akram advised people to avoid smoking, change their food habits, avoid junk foods and go for regular physical exercise to cut down the risks of non-communicable chronic diseases.
