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Cancer patients in limbo as treatment facility awaits licensing
By Romila Boodram
Guyana’s only cancer treatment facility has been out of operation since last June, leaving almost 80 patients worrying about their fate.
Officials of the Cancer Institute of Guyana (CIG) are now saying that they are awaiting licensing of the facility from the Ministry of Health before they resume operations.
Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran
Following complaints from the public last week, Kaieteur News visited the institute to appraise the situation.
The treatment centre, in a statement issued to this publication said it is hoping that the Ministry of Health would speed up the process in presenting them with a license to start their cancer treatment therapy.
One of the affected patients is former Attorney General, Doodnauth Singh.
According to CIG, last June, a decision was taken to upgrade the cancer treatment machine with a newer version. Appropriate steps were taken to minimize the turnaround time.
In October, the installation of the new machine, LINAC PRIMUS was completed but treatment could not have been started because of the new health care act which requires all medical facilities to be licensed.
The new act prompted the Health Ministry to seek assistance from PAHO and WHO to oversee performance of the LINAC PRIMUS equipment. A report from both organizations confirmed that the machine met with international standards.
Documents requested by the Health Ministry were presented for further review and evaluation by the designated inspectors representing MOH.
Currently, the lives of about 80 cancer patients are in the hands of the Ministry of Health. These patients are suffering from various types of cancer and their illness is at different stages.
The CIG came into existence in 2006 via a collaborative effort between the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Health and the private sector, in the form of Global Imaging Services Incorporated.
Since its establishment, records show that the facility has diagnosed numerous patients and has treated over 960 patients with Radiation Therapy.
Kaieteur News tried to contact Health Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran for a comment but all calls went unanswered.
Cancer can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy. The choice of therapy depends upon the location and grade of the tumor and the stage of the disease, as well as the general state of the patient.
CIG uses Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and intracavitary therapy to treat cancer patients but because the facility is not licensed, no radiation therapy is being done at the facility.
Radiation therapy also called (radiotherapy, X-ray therapy or irradiation) is the use of ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumours.
The Cancer Institute of Guyana
Radiation therapy can be administered externally via external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or internally via brachytherapy. The effects of radiation therapy are localised and confined to the region being treated.
Radiation therapy injures or destroys cells in the area being treated by damaging their genetic material, making it impossible for these cells to continue to grow and divide.
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