The procurement mechanism for purchasing the latest cancer radiation technology equipment used in developed countries of the world has been continuously delayed in this country in the past, limiting the opportunity for patients in this country to receive high-quality cancer treatment, and the country has also suffered a huge economic loss due to the purchase of the equipment that was supposed to be purchased about three years ago now, says Specialist Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, Chairman of the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights.
Although this project was initiated to import the equipment to the country during the administration of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukkella, he says that this purchase was severely delayed due to irregularities and questionable transactions by political and ministerial officials at the time. The doctor also points out that as a result of their efforts to purchase outdated machines instead of modern radiation therapy machines, the government has suffered a severe economic loss by having to pay several times more than it did three years ago to purchase the equipment.
Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa points out that the cobalt cancer radiation treatment method currently used in Sri Lanka is fraught with complications and many countries in the world have discontinued the method.
Instead, developed countries around the world have taken steps to introduce the linear accelerator method and currently the government of this country has a limited number of these modern cancer radiation treatment machines in the hospital system and he points out that this number should be more than doubled and the necessary facilities should be provided to patients as soon as possible and the queues for cancer radiation treatment should be ended as soon as possible.
It is proposed to purchase these equipment based on the financial allocations of the Treasury and the provisions of the Asian Development Bank, and the President’s attention should be focused on removing the obstacles to the procurement and import of these equipment, he said.
Currently, more than fifteen thousand cancer-related deaths occur annually in Sri Lanka. It is also reported that nearly one thousand pediatric cancer patients are newly diagnosed annually. The number of pediatric cancer deaths that occur annually is more than 200.