Cancer treatment for children must be free - Oncologist

An Oncologist Consultant at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Verna Vanderpuje has strongly advocated that the state should provide free medical care for children suffering from cancer.

Dr. Vanderpuje noted that currently, there was no policy for children suffering cancer, to access full treatment free of charge which she described as worrying.

The Oncologist stated that “the nation is not paying attention to cancer in children”.

She was interacting with journalists at Aburi in the Eastern region over the weekend at a sensitization workshop by Sweden-Ghana Medical Centre (SGMC).

The media interaction precedes the formal launch of the Sweden-Ghana Cancer Foundation, which is scheduled to take place this Thursday, 8th November, 2012, in Accra.

According to Dr. Vanderpuje, survival rate in cancer in children in other parts of the world is about 80% while in Ghana, parents struggle to get treatment for children with cancer due to the high cost involved.

She called for the establishment of a fund to cover the full cost of treatment of cancer in children insisting that, the nation “has no excuse” than to do so “now.”

Even though most cases of cancer are genetic, Dr. Vanderpuje said a number of the cases are as a result of lifestyle, saying that those of lower status in society are higher at risk.

The Head of Department of Surgery at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Prof. Joe Nat Clegg-Lamptey was worried over the increasing cases of cancer which he feared could soon become “a real big problem.”

He believed however that the rise in reported cases could also be the result of increased awareness and the fact that more people are getting exposed to things that cause cancer.

Chief Operating Officer of the SGCF Joshua Tetteh disclosed the SGMC had provided the Foundation with seed capital of Ghc 200,000 to for quality treatment of patients at cheaper cost.

Mr. Tetteh however said the Foundation will require a minimum of $ 5million to continue offering quality care for cancer patients who cannot afford the cost of treatment.