Ward hosts worst cases

 By CLEMENT KAUPA

THE cancer reality at the only treatment centre in Papua New Guinea is sad, a number of visits there show.

Located in Lae’s Angau Memorial Hospital, the centre offers two inpatient wards with 36 beds and a clinic that offers chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

A brachytherapy centre was added to the facility recently to treat an alarming rise in cervical and breast cancer among local women.

But the situation behind the doors of the two wards is terrible.

Since July, one ward registered six deaths and seven discharges of terminal cases sent home with medical supplies.

“Most of the inpatients at the wards are the worst cases who cannot help themselves,” centre director and sole radiotheraphy oncologist in the country, Dr John Niblett said.

“Sadly, there is really nothing much to do about that.”

Timing between diagnosis and referral for treatment was the crucial decider in the case of cancer in its different forms, Niblett said.

Early detection was the best chance for the available treatments, he said.

An elder brother of a patient with mouth cancer who was discharged yesterday said if he had known about cancer three years ago, his brother would have been saved.

Saramun Boris said younger brother Simit had what appeared to be a ‘fisheye’ on one leg which was treated traditionally with herbs for about a year.

It disappeared only to appear on the other leg and was again treated with herbs for another year.

That disappeared and Simit was afflicted with toothache which turned chronic and a blood-test much later diagnosed mouth cancer. 

It was three years too late when Simit was brought to Angau three months ago from his village at Erap, a couple of hours’ drive up the Highlands Highway.

“Tell our story so that more people are aware of this deadly disease,” Saramun said.

Niblett said apart from an encouraging success rate of 40% cure for stage three cervix cancer, mouth cancer was at a very low 17% for early cases and 10% or less for advanced cases.

“Yes, there is a need for significant investment by the government into the fight against cancer,” he said.

“It is an all-around need to purchase up to five more Linear Exhilarators which are much more powerful than the cobalt machines, secure another three or four radiation technicians and more doctors.”

Presently, there are two doctors.