Health and Family welfare minister Zahid Maleque said the Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) have turned into matter of concern for Bangladesh as large number of people dying every year here for the NCDs.

“Some 65 percent deaths are caused by the NCD. In Bangladesh, 20 percent people suffer from high blood pressure, 10 percent from diabetes and 20 lakh people from cancer,” he said.

The three-day NCD conference will continue till January 28. NCD programme of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Bangladesh NCD Disease Forum, Bangladesh Clinical Research Platform and Bangladesh Health Reporters Forum (BHRF) jointly organizing the event.

Scientists and representatives from 30 national and international institutes including icddr,b, BSMMU, BRAC, Dhaka University are also participating in the programme.

Zahid Maleque further said the NCD patients are increasing in the country due to various reasons including food habit, environment pollutions, obesity, tobacco consumption, miuse of drugs and inadequate physical activities.

He said the government has taken sector wise programme to prevent the NCD in the country.

The government is setting up specialized hospitals for cancer, kidney and heart diseases in eight divisional cities across the country, the health minister said.

Joining the NCD conference virtually, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization said, the SDG target fill up has become challenge for lower and middle income countries including Bangladesh due to the NCDs.