US based Non-Governmental Organizations Wish4life Foundation is on a mission to construct a state of the art Cancer treatment center in Ghana.
The project estimated to cost $250 million will be located at Kyebi-Asikam in the Eastern Region.
Speaking on Morning Starr with Francis Abban founder of Wish4life Foundation Dr. Trippett Tanya an oncologist and cancer survivor herself revealed the facility when ready will offer free treatment to children.
Dr. Tanya revealed his foundation was born out of a request by a 13 year old boy cancer patient from Africa’s appeal to her in 2012.
According to her, the boy whom she attended to in the US after he was flown there by his parents for treatment appealed to her to ensure other children in Africa have access to the same quality healthcare extended to him in the States.
She disclosed since the establishment of the foundation medical supplies have been delivered to some African countries. The foundation has however decided to get into infrastructure provision in Ghana.
Sharing her own story with cancer, Dr. Tanya disclosed early detection in 2016 went a long way to help her beat the dreaded condition. She further revealed she is now cancer free.
The Cancer Treatment Centre in Ghana according to her will also serve the West African region. She revealed the design for the facility which will have residential facilities for staff, a church among others is done and will be ready by March next year.
The project is being funded by a number of like minded medical practitioners in the United States as well as the general public. Dr. Tanya disclosed a campaign “wish4life voices for life” has already been launched in the US and soon to be launched in Ghana is driving the fund raising for the project.
Touching on the sustainability of the project since treatment for children is expected to be free, Dr. Tanya said her foundation will leverage Ghana’s NHIS which now covers treatment of paediatric cancer and other sources such as establishment of endowment funds. Again, she disclosed the state of the Art Laboratories will offer services at a fee to adults and proceeds used to cater for cancer children. Dr. Tanya said the $250 million project will be a tribute to paediatric cancer patients who could not survive as well as those who did.
Sod cutting for the Cancer Research and Treatment Centre will be done tomorrow at Kyebi-Asikam in the Eastern Region.
“The focus of the Foundation is a global humanitarian initiative designed to provide or enhance the opportunity for a pediatric cancer cure for children in developing nations. Through access to essential medical expertise, medicines and supplies, resources and infrastructure support, the Wish4Life Foundation will provide capacity building in partnership with pediatric cancer programs in the global healthcare community.”
“The initial work of the Foundation to address this unmet need was conducted in Rwanda and now has broadened in scope with an outreach to Ghana where the Foundation will create its first sustainable International Children’s Cancer Research Centre that will later be recapitulated in other developing nations.” Dr. Tanya told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Ibrahim Alhassan