Cancer Patients at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Face Prolonged Delays and Suspended Appointments

Cancer patients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital are encountering prolonged delays and suspended appointments as the hospital's sole radiotherapy machine struggles to keep up with increasing demand.

The machine, plagued by frequent breakdowns, was recently repaired but continues to operate at reduced capacity, severely limiting the number of treatment sessions conducted daily.

Eight-year-old Joshua, currently undergoing his 33rd cancer treatment session, shared his experience with Joy News correspondent Rejoice Semefa Kpesu, expressing, “I feel pain.” He has appealed to Former President John Mahama for help with his treatment fees and hopes to resume schooling soon.

Joshua is among the fortunate few receiving treatment. Many other patients have been instructed to await scheduling, with appointments for those needing more than six sessions currently on hold. The hospital's oncologists await comprehensive maintenance for the radiotherapy machine, which is currently operational but restricted to just 10 sessions per day.

Professor Joel Yarney, head of the Oncology Department at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, acknowledged the challenges, stating, “They have worked on the machine and somehow they were able to get it back online, but when it stays on for a few hours then the problem resurfaces, so then management has taken a decision that as a stop-gap measure we are treating patients who have about five to 10 treatments left.”

Read also: Health crisis looms as Korle Bu’s only cancer treatment machine breaks down; patients stranded

Professor Joel Yarney said, “We should pay attention to Non-Communicable Diseases and cancer in particular.”

The Minority in Parliament has called upon Health Minister Dr. Bernard Oko Boye to address concerns surrounding the hospital's reliance on a single radiotherapy machine, which has consistently failed to meet the needs of cancer patients.

Dr. Mark-Kurt Nawane, Deputy Ranking Member of the Health Committee in Parliament, emphasized the urgency, stating, “We aim to raise this issue today, and if necessary, invite the Health Minister to Parliament early next week for a comprehensive explanation, to come to the floor of parliament and explain what is happening. Repairs and it breaks down, obviously it will break down, because if you are getting 50% a day to use a single machine, that is too much. I mean human beings even break down, how much more machines,” he added.