Speakers at a roundtable discussion in the city on Tuesday called for taking more special preventive measures to bring down the numbers of deaths caused by the deadly diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Treatment of the two killer diseases is too expensive, which pushes the country's economy into challenges, they observed.
The discussion styled "Irremediable cancer and heart disease: Environment pollution and way forward" was organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (POBA) at its city office.
POBA Chairman Abu Naser Khan presided over the discussion while its general secretary Abdus Sobhan, convener of Jatiya Shastho Odhikar Andolon Dr Rashid E Mahbub and its joint general secretary Dr Lelin Chowdhury, among others, were present on the occasion.
Of the total deaths every year in the country, 67 per cent are caused by noninfectious diseases, they said citing a data.
They lamented that though the government undertakes various initiatives every year for the healthcare sector, preventive measures against such diseases do not receive so much attention.
According to them, rapid urbanisation, overpopulation, unhealthy lifestyle, environment pollution and unsafe food are some of the key reasons behind the high incidence of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease and various types of cancer.
Tobacco consumption causes various fatal diseases, they said, adding around 35 per cent people consume it in various forms.
A study conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) of Washington University found that around 0.8 million people of the country died of 250 types of diseases in 2016.
The number is likely to increase by 32 per cent in 2040.
Another survey by the same organisation revealed that cardiac failure was the most dominant of all diseases between 1990 and 2013.
The speakers underscored the need for more preventive measures to reduce deaths from the avoidable disease.
To this end, they called upon the authorities concerned to implement the existing laws and guidelines related to public health.
They also called for ensuring food safety and working to curb environment pollution.
saif.febd@gmail.com