The ANGAU Hospital in Lae, Morobe Province has raised concern of the lack of facilities for cancer treatment.
According to Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Dr. Lakshman Obeysekara, the cancer services and facilities needed ranges from equipment for treatment to human resource, diagnostics and pathology.
He stated that areas that were to be looked seriously were treatment like Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, and surgery.
The hospital lacks Human Resources, Diagnostic Radiology and Pathology, Patient record and cancer register for local level and national level, Cancer prevention and control.
Palliative care facilities like Pain clinic, Hospice care and home-based treatment were also lacking.
ANGAU Hospital CEO, Dr. Kipas Binga, acknowledged Kumul Petroleum Holding Ltd for funding the Department of Health in assisting to process a Radio Oncologist.
After six years, ANGAU hospital has Dr. Lakshman Obeysekara, who will assist radiotherapy in Lae. He said the curability of cancer by radiotherapy alone can be cured over 60 percent, and treating 100 patients can cure 60 and have a normal life expectancy, compared to Chemotherapy, which only has 20 percent of all cancers.
The hospital is now looking to recruit a Medical physicist, Histopathologist, a trained Interventional Radiologist and a Laboratory technician.
According to statistics, the hospital has serviced 56 percent of people from Momase, 36 percent in Highlands, Southern with 5 percent and New Guinea Islands with 3 percent.