Cancer treatment to be available soon: Molumi

PAPUA New Guineans will soon have access to cervical cancer treatment at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) with phase three the of cancer centre project well underway.
Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi said progress of the third phase will see a K50 million budget from the Government being put to use to complete the cancer facilities.
“The cancer centre is progressing well on schedule with a brachytherapy unit for treatment of cervical cancer and is expected to be completed by September 2023,” he said in a statement.
However, patients living with cancer are adamant that treatment is more vital for them rather than waiting for a building to be constructed.
Recently a letter was sent to Prime Minister James Marape by the husband of a cancer patient which brought reality to the scene.
In his letter Tony Wattz stated that his wife Amelia Wattz had been diagnosed with cervix cancer and admitted at the hospital for more than two months without treatment.
“My wife is just 49 years old, holds dual Masters degrees from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne and is a lecturer at the Divine Word University,” he said.
“However, after being diagnosed with cancer in June, my wife received no treatment and doctors constantly remind us that there is no treatment due to no facility.”
Wattz said he had witnessed young women die over the two months of his wife’s stay at the hospital.
“Although a project in underway, cancer does not wait for anyone and women even very young and educated women, will keep dying while we try to put a building up,” he said.