Sir Bob wants to help stop rise in cancer deaths

GOVERNOR-GENERAL Sir Bob Dadae says immediate intervention is needed to curb the increasing number of deaths caused by cancer in the country.
Sir Bob said while poor lifestyle choices were a contributing factor, the non-availability of cancer treatment facilities and equipment meant many people could not access treatment to control the disease.
Speaking to the management at Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae yesterday, Sir Bob made known his intention to support the hospital and its initiatives to acquire cancer treatment equipment.
“Cancer cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. We need facilities for that. We badly need oncologist doctors in the country also.”
“My concern is to progress acquiring of cancer equipment to be made available in the country as a matter of urgency,”he said.
“I want to support initiatives to make this become a reality,”
Angau Hospital medical dervices director Dr Ruso Perone said the only available treatments for cancer was surgery. if cancer was detected early. and chemotherapy.
However, the cost of chemotherapy treatment was expensive and requires more than K1 million to purchase and administer to patients.
Despite that, the hospital management said moves were now underway to establish a cancer centre in Lae. Land has been identified and acquired for the centre.
The hospital management is confident ground work will start soon beginning with fencing this week.
Perone said with business and mining ventures taking off in the province, medical services needed to be improved and ambulance was one such service that must be present in the province.
Sir Bob said, he would like to see St John Ambulance established in the province and throughout the country.