• Radiotherapy services at Badulla, H’tota delayed 

Two newly installed cancer radiotherapy machines at the Provincial General Hospital in Badulla and District General Hospital in Hambantota have yet to begin treating patients, with a shortage of dosimetry equipment reportedly delaying the start of services, it is learnt.

President of the Government Radiological Technologists’ Association (GRTA) Chanaka Dharmawickrema told the media yesterday (8) that the required equipment could be temporarily obtained from National Cancer Institute (Apeksha Hospital) in Maharagama, but this had not been done.

He said installation of the machine at the Badulla Hospital was completed in April, while installation at the Hambantota Hospital was completed during the first week of October. However, neither hospital has started providing radiotherapy services.

Dharmawickrema said a group of professionals at the hospitals had cited the lack of dosimetry equipment as the reason for the delay. He questioned why the equipment could not be temporarily obtained from Apeksha Hospital until new equipment was supplied to the hospitals.

He also said that Deputy Health Minister Dr Hansaka Wijemuni, during a recent visit to Badulla Hospital, had instructed officials to obtain the required dosimetry equipment from Apeksha Hospital and start treatment without further delay. However, radiotherapy services had still not commenced.

The continued delay has forced patients to seek treatment at Apeksha Hospital and the National Hospital of Sri Lanka in Kandy, adding to the pressure on their existing radiotherapy waiting lists, he said.

Dharmawickrema further said both hospitals already had waiting lists of several months for Linear Accelerator (LINAC) radiotherapy. Patients unable to obtain timely treatment at Government hospitals might have to turn to the private sector, where radiotherapy could cost between Rs 500,000 and Rs 2 million.

Meanwhile, five  linear accelerator (LINAC) machines were purchased for the Badulla Hospital, Hambantota Hospital, and Teaching Hospitals in Ratnapura, Kurunegala, and Anuradhapura. 

Each machine costs more than Rs 600 million, while the estimated cost of setting up a complete radiotherapy unit at each hospital exceeds Rs 1,000 million.

Of the five machines, three have so far been delivered to Badulla, Ratnapura and Hambantota.

At the Ratnapura Hospital, the first stage of installation was completed during the first week of June. However, the second stage has been delayed because the necessary preparations inside the room where the machine is installed have not been completed.

At present, LINAC radiotherapy services are available at Apeksha Hospital, the National Hospitals in Kandy and Galle, and Teaching Hospitals in Jaffna and Batticaloa.

The GRTA has urged health authorities to investigate the delays and take immediate steps to start radiotherapy services at the newly equipped hospitals.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the administration of the Badulla Hospital, told The Daily Morning that five LINAC machines were being procured for hospitals across the country by the Development Division of the Ministry of Health, under the Additional Secretary (Development).

In addition to the main LINAC machine, two other machines are required to operate the radiotherapy service. These are a dosimetry machine and a CT simulator. All three machines are included in the procurement process.

The spokesperson said the dosimetry machine required by the Badulla Hospital was expected to be delivered in December, possibly by a different supplier. Until it arrives, the hospital cannot begin providing radiotherapy services.

While the LINAC machine has already been delivered and installed, the CT simulator is expected to arrive only around the middle of next year.

He explained that the procurement process involved international competitive bidding, with open tenders called to select supplieRs The evaluation process could take considerable time, particularly when appeals were made. "Whether the procurement is handled by the Ministry or by the hospital, we have to follow the Government procurement guidelines. We cannot skip any of the required steps," he said.

The spokesperson further said the hospital expected to receive the dosimetry machine in December and hoped to begin radiotherapy services after its arrival.

He added that the hospital had explored the possibility of obtaining dosimetry equipment from Apeksha Hospital, as well as from Galle and Batticaloa hospitals. However, the equipment could not simply be transferred from one hospital to another, he added.

Attempts to contact the Deputy Health Minister for further comment on the matter proved futile.