Setting up a new radiation therapy centre in Malawi: Opportunities and challenges

Autor: E. Tembo, K.A. Kyei, F. Thulu, L. Masamba, J. Chiwanda, S. Kuyeli, R. Nyirenda, R. Nyasosela, R. Mzikamanda, S. Ndarukwa
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Technical Innovations & Patient Support in Radiation Oncology, Vol 31, Iss , Pp 100264- (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2405-6324
DOI: 10.1016/j.tipsro.2024.100264
Popis: Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the three pillars of cancer treatment (with surgery and systemic therapies) and has proven to be a cost–effective modality for curative and palliative treatment. In low and middle-income countries, access to RT treatment is limited posing many challenges to patients and caregivers. Many patients living in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Malawi spend enormous sums of money to be treated abroad, through Government schemes, or, more commonly, go without treatment. This paper reviews the progress of the Malawi Government in establishing the first dedicated cancer treatment center with RT facilities at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe. Malawi is expected to have a fully functional dedicated RT centre towards the end of 2024 equipped with one cobalt machine, two linear accelerators (LINAC), and a high dose rate (HDR) Brachytherapy unit. More cancer patients will have access to RT services locally, resulting in the Government saving on the foreign currency required to treat patients out of the country. While there has been great progress towards establishment of services in Malawi, careful and strategic planning is needed for the sustainability of required resources to avoid long-term disruption of treatments.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals