Five nuclear medicine institutes to be modernised

The government is planning to bring nuclear medicine to the forefront to provide medical services to the poor and commoners at a minimum cost.

In this regard, the government aims to develop necessary infrastructure for increasing treatment facilities of five nuclear medicine institutes at Mitford, Cumilla, Faridpur, Barishal and Bogura.

The Science and Technology Ministry has undertaken a project titled “Enhancing capacity of institute of nuclear medicine and allied sciences at Mitford, Cumilla, Faridpur, Barishal and Bogura” and sent it to the Planning Commission for approval, a senior official of the planning ministry told The Business Post.

Under the project, new modern equipment and accessories will be procured for providing better treatment to people under the districts.

The project aims to increase the capacity of these institutes to identify disease and provide proper medication to the commoners.

The cost of the project is estimated at Tk 216.86 crore which will come from the government exchequer.

Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission will implement the project by June 2025.

“We have received the development project proposal, and will hold a project evaluation committee meeting soon. Once we cleared it, we will send it to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council for approval,” according to a senior official of the Socio Economic Infrastructure Division.

The project will help physicians, physicists and other scientists in the Institutes of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences to expand their research activities.

As per the proposal, the country has over a 50-year history of atomic medical treatment. Formally, the atomic treatment named “Radio Isotope Centre” started in the country at Dhaka Medical College campus in 1962.

To provide atomic medical treatment at a minimum cost among patients, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has set up the Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS) at public medical college and hospitals across the country for expanding the treatment facilities.

In atomic treatment, modern equipment and accessories are used in the world, and that should be for Bangladesh too to ensure better atomic treatment.