Surendra Bahadur Chand1, Ranjanbhakta Bhandari1, Shivji Poudel1, Suresh Poudel1, Hasin Anupama Azhari2, Golam Abu Zakaria2
BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bharatpur, Chitwan South Asia Center for Medical Physics and Cancer Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
This time SCMPCR hands-on workshop (SCMPCR-HW08) is going to be held between 13th to 16th March, 2025 at BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (BPKMCH), Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal. BPKMCH is excited to host and welcome both international and national participants and trainers for the program. The title of the workshop is “Clinical Implementation of SRS, SRT and SBRT for Medical Physicists and Radiation Oncologists”. The training will offer a unique blend of scientific activities and touristic pleasure together. The program is the result extensive collaborative efforts between BPKMCH and South Asia Center for Medical Physics and Cancer Research (SCMPCR), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

BPKMCH is named after the great Nepalese politician who was able to articulate ambitious political programs and inspire the masses, and who had the ideological clarity, personal integrity and vision to reshape the economy of the nation. It was established with the goals to prevent cancer, diagnose and treat people suffering from this dreaded disease by providing high-quality health services to enable them to lead a good quality life; for conducting high-level research studies on cancer and preparing the necessary manpower to achieve self-reliance in this field; to develop systems that are not adverse to international recognition and practices in relation to the use, accumulation, displacement of radioactive materials for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other protective measures including equipment operation procedures used in that work; for conducting National Cancer Control Program.

BPKMCH is the apostle of cancer care and is the largest government funded comprehensive cancer hospital in the country. Department of Radiation Oncology is the heart of the hospital, served by seven radiation oncologists, six medical physicists, thirteen RT technicians and two onco-nurses. The department has three medical linear accelerators (Varian Truebeam, Clinac iX and 600 C/D), a HDR brachytherapy unit and a CT simulator. It offers a range of treatment services like 3D conformal radiotherapy, IMRT, VMAT and Image Guided Radiotherapy. Currently, it is treating more than 200 patients a month. Our staff members are trained in different countries and dedicated to patient services. We are fortunate to have an executive director – Dr. Shivji Poudel, who belongs to our department and is a radiation oncologist. Currently Dr. Ranjanbhakta Bhandari is the head of the department, and Mr. Surendra Bahadur Chand, Assistant Chief Medical Physicist and RSO is leading the medical physics team.
As of now, BPKMCH hosted different national and international level seminar and conferences, and has praiseworthy amenity and ambiences. Additionally, Chitwan is best known for its natural beauty- mountain ranges clearly visible from the hospital, Narayani River flowing along one side of the city. One can do motor boat ride in Narayani River, enjoy cable car ride to Maulakalika temple on the same day, and enjoy elephant/jeep safari into the national park on another day. If you are fond of mountain biking along the jungle, that is also possible at affordable prices. Royal Chitwan National Park, the oldest national park of the country, is just 15 Kms away from our hospital. If you want to feel a spiritual essence, Devghatdham is just few kms away from our hospital. Other important places to visit are Twenty-thousand lake (Local name: Bishazari taal), and Diyalo Bangala Museum. Bharatpur has made its fame as a medical hub in the country. Bhatbhateni supermarket and other local markets will ensure the availability of items you need during your stay in the town.

Moreover, SCMPCR, under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Golam Abu Zakaria and management under Prof. Dr. Hasin Anupama Azhari, has made its place as a successful organization for organizing various scientific activities: e-learning program, hands-on workshops on regular basis etc. It has gathered wide appreciation from different societies and organization for its causes. As SCMPCR is taking off its activities beyond Bangladesh, it showed its diligence of organizing hands-on training (SCMPCR-HW07) beyond Bangladesh on February, 2024 at Saroj Gupta Cancer Hospital, Thakurpur, Kolkata, India. The event had a true international flavor with participants from South Asia, and training from Germany, India, Bangladesh and Belgium. The event was covered by the Times of India with words of appreciation. This time SCMPCR HW-08, with no doubt will have more interesting program and hands-on workshop series at the lap of Himalayas, at Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal.
Furthermore, it is praiseworthy that PTW Germany has supported SCMPCR in various ways. And SCMPCR is glad that PTW featured last hands-on workshop (SCMPCR HW-07) activities on its official webpage and also incorporated in its yearly calendar. Each year PTW publishes SCMPCR news to encourage the later to achieve its goals. PTW has stood as a great partner of SCMPCR at all times, and has extended its arms to support SCMPCR HW-08, by providing tools for practical purposes and an expert for training.
Overall, it will be a great scientific event with immense pleasure for the delegates. And BPKMCH is eager to welcome the delegates and trainers to make the event a great success. Meantime, SCMPCR will have wonderful experience to work hand-in-hand with BPKMCH for the success of the event.