Two months have passed and the only cancer treatment facility in the country still needs an oncologist.
There are 25 patients who are on a waiting list to undergo radiotherapy. Radiation Oncology Registrar, Dr. David Kundi, said cancer treatment is not complete without radiotherapy.
While the 25 wait, another patient Winnie Solien who has been treated with radiotherapy, is now seeking treatment overseas.
Winnie Solien’s husband Jerry had decided to seek medical treatment overseas after Winnie could not undergo another radiotherapy treatment at Angau without an oncologist, and CT Scan.
Winnie was referred from the Port Moresby General hospital to the Cancer facility to the Angau hospital for further treatment.
She had stage 2B of cervical cancer when she came to Lae. Mrs. Solien told EMTV News that she started her radiotherapy treatment on the 4th of January this year.
The doctors suspected that the cancer cells may have spread but were not able to investigate further. There were no CT scans available.
After consultation with the doctors her family has decided to seek treatment overseas.
While Mrs. Winnie has returned to Port Moresby, the other 25 patients currently admitted at the cancer ward are still waiting to undergo radiotherapy.
They will have to wait until a new oncologist is appointed.the unit has been operating without an oncologist for two months.
The matter has received high level attention, Deputy Opposition leader, Sam Basil, in an interview said the treatment of cancer is an ongoing issue in PNG for many years.
