Bangladesh has adequate genome-sequencing facilities but is not using them to their full potential, limiting opportunities to improve cancer diagnosis and personalised treatment, Science and Technology Secretary Md Anwar Hossain said on Saturday.
Better use of these facilities could help Bangladesh develop advanced diagnostic and customised treatment services and eventually become a regional healthcare hub, he said.
The secretary made the remarks while inaugurating a training course on positron emission tomography-computed tomography and cyclotron technology at the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, according to a ministry press release.
Beyond cancer care, Hossain called for expanding preventive and precision medicine, drug discovery and industrial development by drawing on the expertise of young doctors and researchers.
Proper planning and compliance with international protocols could enable Bangladesh to provide world-class treatment and produce quality medicines at relatively low cost, with opportunities to export medicines and healthcare services, he said.
The training, he added, would strengthen the skills of young doctors and researchers and promote more effective use of nuclear medicine technology in healthcare.
BAEC Member for Bioscience Mahfuza Khan chaired the programme, attended by BAEC Chairman M Moinul Islam as special guest.
BAEC Human Resource Division Director ASM Habib Ullah Khan delivered the welcome address, while Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences Director Zeenat Jabeen presented the keynote paper.
The course, involving 34 participants, will continue until November 25.
