DHAKA, Sept 07, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh now offers quality and affordable treatment for breast cancer, with government hospitals providing low-cost or free services, prompting many patients to choose treatment at home instead of going abroad.
 
Forty-six-year-old Rahela Akhter (not real name) went to a physician for a breast examination, or breast screening. After conducting a physical examination, the physician suspected a problem and advised her to undergo several tests. The test results confirmed that she had breast cancer.
 
After visiting several hospitals, Rahela sought treatment at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) in Mohakhali.
 
She could afford treatment abroad, but she decided to receive treatment in Bangladesh as she had heard that quality treatment was available here at a much lower cost and that many patients had recovered successfully. Instead of giving in to fear, she is facing the disease with courage.
 
Rahela said, “If I go abroad, expenses for visas, air tickets, accommodation and food, in addition to medical costs, would be much higher. Managing everything is also difficult. One or two attendants are needed as well. During the long treatment period, there is stress about family and personal responsibilities. Sometimes, one does not feel mentally well. Here, family members and relatives are nearby. One receives sympathy and care. There is less harassment. Good food is essential during this time, and it is easier to arrange here. Staying with family helps keep oneself engaged in different activities and reduces anxiety. Therefore, I want to receive treatment here, and I have confidence in the country's physicians.”
 
Doctors said there is no doubt that cancer treatment is better in developed countries. However, many patients here are also being completely cured of breast cancer and several other types of cancer, they said.
 
Former Professor of Medical Oncology at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), Dr Parveen Shahida Akhter said, “Arranging treatment abroad usually takes two to three months, during which the disease may progress. Generally, patients suffering from this disease also have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses. During chemotherapy or radiotherapy, these conditions may worsen, requiring supportive treatment. Patients become extremely vulnerable under such circumstances and often lose mental strength. Again, many patients return home after surgery abroad before their surgical wounds have healed properly, leading to infection. Some also bring chemotherapy medicines from abroad, but if these medicines are not stored properly, their quality deteriorates. For these and other reasons, many people are now seeking treatment in Bangladesh, and most importantly, treatment costs here are much lower, they said.”

She said, “The Cancer Institute provides good treatment for all types of cancer. Treatment costs at this hospital are very low. The government procures sufficient medicines. Chemotherapy drugs are provided free of charge. Bed charges are minimal, and other diagnostic tests are conducted at nominal costs.”
 
She added, “If women undergo regular breast screening from the age of 20, breast cancer is unlikely to reach an advanced stage. However, women aged between 40 and 50 are at greater risk. Therefore, breast screening during this period is essential.”
 
Project Director of the National Centre for Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening Centre, Dr Ashrafun Nessa, said, “We provide breast screening free of charge. Around 100 women undergo breast screening at this centre every day. We also teach women how to perform breast self-examinations at home.”
 
She added, “We have 464 centres across the country. Of these, 271 are located at Upazila Health Complexes, while the remaining centres are in district government and private hospitals, sadar hospitals and maternity hospitals. Free breast screening is provided at all these facilities in the same way. From 2005 until this year, we have conducted about 3 million breast screenings.”
 
Assistant Professor of the Department of Surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dr Sadia Afrin Tani, said, "We conduct breast screening for 60 to 70 women every day. Patients who test positive are referred to the Department of Surgery for treatment. Diagnostic tests are conducted at government-fixed low rates. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are also provided at very low cost. Operations are performed free of charge. Many patients have recovered and are leading healthy lives after receiving treatment here. Government hospitals across the country provide breast cancer screening and low-cost treatment in the same manner.”
 
Bangladeshi physician Dr Tasmia Tahmid, who serves as Specialist Consultant of Breast Cancer at a government hospital in England, sees patients for seven days every month at the Tasmia Tahmid Breast Cancer Centre located at Dhaka Neonatal Hospital in Lalmatia.
 
She said, “This is a curable disease. If detected early and treated properly, patients recover completely.”
 
She added, “Breast cancer treatment here is of the standard comparable to England. We are providing treatment at low cost.”
 
She said that to reduce the risk of breast cancer, women should examine their breasts themselves every month on the day after their menstrual period ends. Women below the age of 40 should undergo a clinical breast examination once a year, while those aged 40 and above should have it examined by a physician twice a year. Following these measures can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer.