Paediatric Oncology Unit of KBTH receives medical equipment, consumables

A non- governmental organisation (NGO), World Child Cancer (WCC), has donated medical equipment and consumables worth $10,000 to the Paediatric Oncology Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

The Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Coordinator of the WCC, Mr Emmanuel Ayire Adongo, who presented the items, said the donation was meant to assist the Oncology Unit to improve on early detection and management of childhood cancer in the country.

A paediatrician at the KBTH, Dr William Obeng, received the donation on behalf of the Director of Medical Affairs, Dr Ali Samba.

Mr Adongo said it was the aim of the WCC to help improve diagnostic, supportive and curative care for children with cancer, adding: “We believe that every child, no matter where he or she is born, should have access to the best possible treatment and care.”

Items
The donated items included patient monitors, nitrile gloves, hair and shoe covers, disposable gowns, cytotyoxic spill kits and bin liners, face masks, closed system transfer devices, disinfecting wipes, needles, gauze, methylated spirit, roller mixer, hand sanitisers and a 50-inch flat-screen television.

Statistics

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1,300 Ghanaian children develop cancer every year, but only 38 per cent of them present themselves for specialist care.

Mr Adongo described the situation as alarming and called for cancers to be treated early to aid with their cure.

“Children with cancer have a high rate of survival if the disease is detected early, so let us not hold back our children from getting diagnosed early as we fight to eliminate childhood cancer diseases from our nation,” he said.

He encouraged parents to visit hospital regularly with their children, so that if there were any cancer cells developing in the children, they could be detected early and attended to.

Continuous support

Dr Obeng expressed gratitude to the donors, adding that the WCC had been of immense support to the Paediatric Oncology Unit, not only in terms of logistics but also helping the unit to build the capacity of its specialist staff, including pharmacists, surgeons, doctors and biochemical engineers, with studies abroad.

“The WCC has also helped to train over 10 paediatric oncologists from West Africa, from which the KBTH has benefited immensely, and we are grateful for that opportunity as well.

“The children on admission in this ward are, indeed, grateful for your continuous support towards their well-being,” he said.

Look out for changes

A resident paediatrician at the KBTH, Dr Fred Danso, appealed to parents and guardians to always send their children to hospital early whenever they detected that there was something wrong, since most cases of childhood cancer were reported at a late stage when the cancer had fully developed.

“The survival rate of children suffering from cancer is high, compared to that of adults, considering that 80 per cent of children living with cancer survive treatment,” he said.

He encouraged parents to desist from self-medication and to look out for changes and new developments in their children, such as swellings, continuous loss of blood and rise in temperature for more than a week, and endeavour to report early to hospital, since such signs could be indicators of cancer cells developing.