Cancer patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital are encountering prolonged delays and suspended appointments as the hospital’s sole radiotherapy machine struggles to keep up with increasing demand.
The machine, plagued by frequent breakdowns, was recently repaired but continues to operate at reduced capacity, severely limiting the number of treatment sessions conducted daily.
Eight-year-old Joshua, currently undergoing his 33rd cancer treatment session, shared his experience with Joy News correspondent Rejoice Semefa Kpesu, expressing, “I feel pain.” He has appealed to Former President John Mahama for help with his treatment fees and hopes to resume schooling soon.
Joshua is among the fortunate few receiving treatment. Many other patients have been instructed to await scheduling, with appointments for those needing more than six sessions currently on hold. The hospital’s oncologists await comprehensive maintenance for the radiotherapy machine, which is currently operational but restricted to just 10 sessions per day.
Professor Joel Yarney, head of the Oncology Department at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, acknowledged the challenges, stating, “They have worked on the machine and somehow they were able to get it back on line, but when it stays on for a few hours then the problem resurfaces, so then management has taken a decision that as a stop-gap measure we are treating patients who have about five to 10 treatments left.” he said.