‘Cancer treatment remains a problem’

PROVIDING effective and efficient treatment for cancer continues to remain a major problem in the country, Pomio MP Elias Kapavore says.
Kapavore, who is the chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform and Service Delivery, said this in Port Moresby yesterday during a discussion between the committee and senior management of the Department of Health regarding cancer in the country.
“Cancer has been here for some time and our people have been suffering and dying from cancer,” he said.
“I believe we currently don’t have a cancer treatment facility, as well an oncologist or cancer specialists, to treat cancer patients in the country.
“That is a very important issue and it’s a major challenge that is here to stay.
“And what the committee is trying to do is to highlight those issues and most importantly to sit together with the responsible agencies like the Health Department, to discuss on how best we can move forward in finding solutions to the current issue.”
“We commend the Health Department for coming forward to discuss with the committee on the efforts and progress they are make in addressing cancer issues and as well the challenges they are faced with so together we can discuss on the way forward,” Kapavore said.
Northern Governor and deputy chairman of the committee, Garry Juffa said immediate action was needed to ensure the Angau cancer treatment facility in Lae was running and a cancer specialist or oncologist was recruited.
“This is urgent because as we are speaking, people are dying from cancer out there.”