Colombo, Oct. 12 (Daily Mirror) - The Health Ministry is concerned over the technical issues affecting a newly installed CT simulator at Maharagama’s Apeksha Hospital, which has delayed radiotherapy planning for nearly 1,500 cancer patients awaiting the procedure.
A senior Health Ministry official said the matter was under review.
The hospital’s previous CT simulator was removed on April 29 to make way for a replacement.
Although the new machine was handed over to hospital staff on September 7, it has been unable to support radiotherapy treatment planning due to a software compatibility issue, according to the Government Radiographers’ Association.
CT simulation and treatment planning are essential before radiotherapy can begin, leaving patients dependent on the affected service facing delays in starting treatment.
As a temporary measure, the hospital has been using its PET scanner to conduct CT simulation procedures. However, the scanner cannot accommodate all patients because it lacks the specialised accessories and capacity required for the procedures. Breast cancer patients, in particular, cannot undergo the procedure using the PET scanner.
Government Radiographers’ Association Chairman Chanaka Dharmavikrama said nearly 1,500 patients were on the waiting list for CT simulation, warning that delays in treatment could allow their cancers to progress.
He said the number of patients receiving radiotherapy at the hospital had fallen from around 300 a day in April to approximately 200, despite four linear accelerator machines remaining operational.
The association said radiotherapy treatment in the private sector could cost between Rs. 500,000 and Rs. 2 million, placing a heavy financial burden on patients seeking alternatives to the public health service.