The Medical Society for Medical Physics has bemoaned the number of radiation centres in the country to treat patients with cancer.
According to them, the country has only three of these centres which they say is woefully inadequate considering the number of patients that troop in.
The Society also complained over the lack of job opportunities for the countless medical physician graduates.
Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Wednesday Dr Francis Hasford Secretary of the Ghana Society for Medical Physics said Ghana, at least, needs thirty more of the centres.
He explained that due to the limited number of centres, patients who ordinarily should be treated within a week end up taking two to three months before they are treated.
“By the time you treat them the conditions would have changed and sometimes you lose the patient,” he explained.
He also estimated that each ‘basic’ centre would cost five million dollars, and 200 million dollars for all thirty including equipment, staff salaries, etc.
“Because if you have a radiation treatment centre, you need to have a CT scanner that will support your services, you need to have other equipment that would even simulate the treatment before you come and use it.”
Dr Hasford observed that neighbouring countries like Togo do not have a centre. He said Burkina Faso has about one or two, with Ivory Coast also recently repurchasing a few.
He insisted that Ghana could become a regional destination if the centres are made available.
He also assured that if the 200 million was made available, the monies could be recouped in 5 to 6 years.
Explaining the role of a Medical physicist he said “in an x-ray department the one who ensures that the x-ray equipment is given the right quantity of radiation is the medical physicist. In a CT, MRI, Ultrasound Unit, the one who ensures that the quality of images that are produced to diagnose the patient is the medical physicist. In cancer treatment, the one who ensures that the right amount of radiation is delivered to the target alone, and sparing all other tissues so that you continue to be healthy is the medical physicist.”
“In a hospital in general, the staff protection against radiation, even the general public, the radiation that goes out to them is not enough to cause the invitation of another cancer. Medical Physicists are consultant to the general practitioner,” he added.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
