PNG Cancer machine "out of order"

The Cobalt therapy machine for cancer treatment at the Angau Memorial Hospital's oncology department in Lae, Morobe Province, has been out of action since 2013.

About 400-500 people who turn up at ANGAU Hospital every year has been receiving adequate treatment since 2013 according to discussions revealed by a Special Parliamentary Committee hearing on Health Service delivery in PNG last week.

The cobalt source which is the backbone of radiotherapy treatment had run low on power and needs urgent replacement.

Department of Health’s Manager of the cancer treatment program George Otto admitted that the cancer treatment centre in Lae is not ideal for radiotherapy treatment and although the technology involved in treating cancer has advanced, PNG is still using cobalt which in addition needs immediate repair.

“We have a big challenge ahead of us; the facilities there (angau) are nowhere up to an ideal centre for radiotherapy treatment. In today’s standards, the treatment by radiation is no longer with cobalt but with linear accelerator technology which we cannot afford,” Said Otto.

Otto said there is no problem with funding in renewing the Cobalt Source but the regulatory clearance and infrastructure is the delay.

Otto explained the current source was brought into PNG by the Australian Government through their regulatory agencies before PNG was a signatory to the conventions in control of radiation and radioactive material and nuclear energy which PNG signed in 2012.

“The agreement that PNG signed in 2012, signifies that in order for PNG to use and bring such material in the country, it should use its own resources and systems such as regulatory legal systems to procure these kinds of systems to bring into the country.”

Upon Preliminary arrangement, Otto said the National Institute of Standards and Industrial technology will be the regulator to enforce the law when the legislation is complete.

Otto mentioned that the development of legislation involves the partnership of National Institute of Standards, Customs Service, Attorney General (develop the laws), Department of head as lead agency, department of transport to make sure the necessary law and infrastructure available.

Otto stressed that the law does not only covers for healthcare treatment but for a wide range of areas such as agriculture for plant and animal breeding and environment department for environment protection and such in the application of nuclear technology.

Committee member and Northern Province Governor Garry Juffa expressed dissatisfaction of the delayed effort in developing a law that could have saved many lives to date.

Guffa described the discussion as a horrible revelation after Otto revealed that the other four partners were not cooperative enough to start writing the legislation.

“Is it true that we are operating a system where we are giving false hope to our people? I am just alarmed at this revelation and after this I want to know what you will be doing on this matter .This is a major issue that needs an urgent intervention. The prime minister needs to know about this. First of all, those that are responsible must be held accountable, something has to happen straight away, and we owe it to the people of this country who have been affected for many years. This is completely inexcusable,” added Guffa.




Special Parliamentary Committee and Oro Governor stressing his point at the hearing on Health service delivery in the country as West New Britain Governor Sassindran Muthuvel and committee member looks on.
The committee was chaired by Goroka MP, Bire Kimisopa and consisted of Garry Juffa, Sassindran Muthuvel, Obura Wonenara MP, Mehrra Kipefa and Lawyer Roger Maguire as counsel assisting the committee.