| Mamose Post | Wednesday 15th June, 2011 |
By OSEAH PHILEMON
CERVICAL cancer among women in Papua New Guinea is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the country, Dr John Niblett, specialist oncologist at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae, has said.
But he warned that there is a shortage of staff using aging radio therapy equipment at the National Cancer Treatment Unit at the hospital to treat patients who are referred to Angau Hospital from other provincial hospitals.
Dr Niblett described the situation as extremely serious, warranting action by authorities to save the lives of women.
He stated that there are no facilities nor trained health personnel available at most hospitals to carry out pap smear tests on women, which is the first screening test for any sign of cervical cancer. Most women are diagnosed with cervical cancer after heavy vaginal bleeding for some time. Dr Niblett said by that time the cancer has reached an advanced stage.
Last week, Dr Niblett said he had received a message from a highlands hospital that 20 women were being referred to Angau with cervical cancer. He said he has also been receiving similar messages from other hospitals. Dr Niblett said the cancer treatment centre desperately needs new equipment to better treat women and other cancer patients as the current cobalt machine which is a 1070s model is too old and unreliable to provide radiation treatment from patients. The unit’s simulator machine, which helps to plan treatment for patients, has been out of action for the past seven months.
Dr Niblett made a special reference to a CT scan which he said was urgently needed to help him and his staff understand the extent of the disease in a patient and plan treatment accordingly. He said the CT scan would also be available for all other patients in the hospital who need vital service as ordered by their doctors. A brand new CT scan machine would cost around $A600,000. He said he was awaiting the arrival of a team from America to fix the simulator machine at the cancer unit so that his staff could use it to plan treatment for patients. The simulator takes x-rays of patients and helps the doctor to plan treatment accordingly. He spoke to the Post-Courier when introducing Australian radiation therapist Catherine Beaufort from the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, who has taken leave without pay to help at the National Cancer Treatment Unit.
Ms Beaufort came to Angau under the auspices of an organisation called Volunteering for International Development from Australia (VIDA).
Dr Niblett has also expressed concern at the lack of pathology back-up to help him and his team better understand the extent of cancer growth in each patient. He said with the absence of a CT scan and pathology tests it is difficult to prescribe proper treatment for patients. He said the unit also needs two medical registrars and a resident doctor to enable continuing treatment of patients.
But he warned that there is a shortage of staff using aging radio therapy equipment at the National Cancer Treatment Unit at the hospital to treat patients who are referred to Angau Hospital from other provincial hospitals.
Dr Niblett described the situation as extremely serious, warranting action by authorities to save the lives of women.
He stated that there are no facilities nor trained health personnel available at most hospitals to carry out pap smear tests on women, which is the first screening test for any sign of cervical cancer. Most women are diagnosed with cervical cancer after heavy vaginal bleeding for some time. Dr Niblett said by that time the cancer has reached an advanced stage.
Last week, Dr Niblett said he had received a message from a highlands hospital that 20 women were being referred to Angau with cervical cancer. He said he has also been receiving similar messages from other hospitals. Dr Niblett said the cancer treatment centre desperately needs new equipment to better treat women and other cancer patients as the current cobalt machine which is a 1070s model is too old and unreliable to provide radiation treatment from patients. The unit’s simulator machine, which helps to plan treatment for patients, has been out of action for the past seven months.
Dr Niblett made a special reference to a CT scan which he said was urgently needed to help him and his staff understand the extent of the disease in a patient and plan treatment accordingly. He said the CT scan would also be available for all other patients in the hospital who need vital service as ordered by their doctors. A brand new CT scan machine would cost around $A600,000. He said he was awaiting the arrival of a team from America to fix the simulator machine at the cancer unit so that his staff could use it to plan treatment for patients. The simulator takes x-rays of patients and helps the doctor to plan treatment accordingly. He spoke to the Post-Courier when introducing Australian radiation therapist Catherine Beaufort from the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, who has taken leave without pay to help at the National Cancer Treatment Unit.
Ms Beaufort came to Angau under the auspices of an organisation called Volunteering for International Development from Australia (VIDA).
Dr Niblett has also expressed concern at the lack of pathology back-up to help him and his team better understand the extent of cancer growth in each patient. He said with the absence of a CT scan and pathology tests it is difficult to prescribe proper treatment for patients. He said the unit also needs two medical registrars and a resident doctor to enable continuing treatment of patients.
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