Hospital gets much needed cancer drugs

 By SONIA KENU

OIL Search Ltd and Port Moresby Cancer Relief Society presented chemotherapy drugs worth K50,000 to the Port Moresby General Hospital for breast cancer patients yesterday. 

Consultant physician Dr Peter Olali said the hospital ran out of supply in the last five months and patients were sent home or given prescriptions to purchase the drugs at the private pharmacies. 

“Tamoxifen tablets suppress breast cancer and a patient is required to take two tablets daily,” Olali said. 

“In Port Moresby alone, we have 38 old breast cancer patients and 16 new ones, the figures represent cases that have been reported and have records in the system.” 

Oil Search Ltd corporate affairs coordinator Ruth Waram said funds used to purchase the drugs were from the Port Moresby Daffodil Cup corporate golf challenge sponsored by Oil Search and supported by the business community. 

“This is the 11th year that Oil Search and POMCRS have worked together thus this is an achievement apart from renovating the cancer ward to cater for patients,” Waram said.

“The drug supply caters for six months until the department of health acquires new stock of cancer drugs.”

POMCRS president Dadi Toka said it was unfortunate that they could only provide the supply for Port Moresby only. 

“Last year with assistance from Australian Aid, the same drugs were supplied to the entire country.