THE cost of cancer treatment in the country is very high, says Morobe health authority chief executive officer Dr Kipas Binga.
He said the total cost for the treatment of breast cancer and treatment at Angau Hospital in Lae was expensive.
“The total cost for breast cancer treatment which includes a chemotherapy cycle, hormone treatment, radiation and surgery can cost up to K25,000,” he said.
“The cost for a patient on breast cancer treatment can range from K750 to K1,000.
“This is just for the operational costs and drugs, but if we take into consideration the doctors pay, the cost will increase.
“This shows that cancer treatment is an expensive exercise,” he said.
Dr Binga revealed this at the 57th Medical Symposium hosted by the PNG Medical Society in Port Moresby yesterday.
With the theme for the symposium being “holistic approach to cancer” Dr Binga added that more investment, research, development and capacity building was needed for cancer treatment in the country.
Meanwhile, he said the Cobalt 60 machine at Angau Hospital would be operational by next year to treat cancer patients.
“We are working to get this done by the first quarter of 2024.
“We have asked Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd to go ahead with the purchase the Cobalt at a cost of about K2 million from Germany.”
TheNational/PNG Health News
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