Bangladesh to add 17 radiotherapy machines for cancer treatment

From 8 October 2026 — Daily Brief

Bangladesh plans to install 17 new radiotherapy machines at public hospitals by June next year in an effort to reduce long waits and expand cancer treatment outside Dhaka.

Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain said six machines would be installed in hospitals and medical colleges in the capital and 11 at facilities elsewhere in the country.

The ministry says training for technicians and other required staff has already begun. Officials are also considering wider use of advanced technologies, including robotic surgery.

Cancer patients currently face severe capacity constraints, with some waiting six to eight months for radiotherapy. Such delays can be particularly serious because the effectiveness of cancer treatment often depends on starting therapy at the appropriate stage.

Adding equipment is only part of the challenge. Radiotherapy requires trained oncologists, physicists, technicians, maintenance capacity, reliable electricity and systems that keep machines operating safely and consistently.

The announcement therefore represents a planned expansion rather than an immediate increase in available treatment. The key milestones will be procurement, installation, commissioning, staffing and the actual reduction of waiting times once the machines enter service.