Report cancer cases early for treatment — Dr Osei-Bonsu

The Head of the Oncology Department of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr Ernest Baawuah Osei-Bonsu, has stated that the department records between 800 to 1,000 new cases of cancers every year.

About 60 per cent of the cases are cervical and breast cancers combined.

He noted that the 60 per cent was an improvement in the previous years’ records which used to be above 70 per cent.

Dr Osei-Bonsu said this when he spoke to the Daily Graphic during the staff awards ceremony of the department on Friday, January 17, 2020.

He indicated that in spite of the numerous education on the need to seek early treatment for cervical and breast cancer, many women still reported to the hospital late.

Cost of treatment

He expressed worry about the high cost of cancer treatment and said even though the National Health Insurance Scheme supported the treatment of breast and cervical cancer, patients still had to top up.

“The treatment for other cancers are fully paid for by the patients,” he added.

Dr Osei-Bonsu explained that breast and cervical cancer patients topped up the cost of their treatment because the tariff offered by the NHIA was far below the realistic cost.

He said from the department records, “every three months, we have patients who owe us between GH¢20,000 to GH¢25,000 just because they are unable to pay.”

In many instances, Dr Osei-Bonsu said the department agreed to treat patients for them to pay in instalments, “but at times the money is not paid back.”

Mayo Clinic

Dr Osei-Bonsu said since last year, the department had been collaborating with the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA, to build the capacity of the staff to improve on the delivery of cancer care.

Besides the training, he said, the Mayo Clinic was also assisting KATH with equipment to improve on the care the department provided for its patients.

The Mayo Clinic, noted for its expertise in the management of cancer decided to collaborate with the KATH to perfect its management of cancer cases through exchange programmes with staff from the Oncology Department of KATH.

It also intends to use KATH as a hub in the sub region to train medical physicists for the African countries.

Exchange programmes

Dr Osei-Bonsu said last year, a five-member team from Ghana was trained at the Mayo Clinic, adding that in February this year, a team from Mayo Clinic would be visiting KATH to strengthen the collaboration between the two institutions.

He commended Dr Kenneth Merell of the Mayo Clinic as being the brain behind the collaboration between the two institutions.

One of the physicist who benefitted from the training, Dr Kareem Osei Acheamfour, presented a bell to the department.

The bell, which is known as the bell of hope, is rung by a patient who has successfully completed his or her treatment to give hope to other patients who are going through the treatment.