ADDIS ABABA – Six nuclear medical treatment centers are under construction in hospitals across the nation. Upon going operational after three years, the centers would provide service for 30 million people, according to Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute (EBI) and SPHMMC announced.
According to a document obtained from EBI, nuclear technology is of paramount importance in modern medicine. Globally about 40 million people benefit from nuclear medicine against various types of ailing including cancer.In Ethiopia too, more than 160 thousand people suffer from various types of cancer each year, says Dr. Abdu Adem, Assistant Professor of Clinical Oncology and cancer specialist at St Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC).
For this end, SPHMMC has started temporary chemotherapy service inside its former building. In order to further extend the treatment against cancer in the country, the government is building nuclear medical treatment facilities in six hospitals including Tikur Anbessa, St. Paul, Mekelle, Jimma, Haramaya and Bahir Dar.
Dr Abdu told The Ethiopian Herald that these centers would address more than 30 million citizens across the country. As per the standards of World Health Organization (WHO) each cancer treatment center is expected to address 1 million people, yet developing countries like Ethiopia need to have at least 20 centers of which each can address 5 million people, Dr. Abdu added.
As to him, after the construction of building, the nuclear medicine floor will have enough local or foreign nuclear application parallel with the required equipment. As well as, the building will have more than 250 beds and 5 Medical Oncology Radiation Machines for conducting full cancer treatment.
In order to solve some financial constraints, the hospital is working in collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Subsequently, IAEA has promised to make financial and professional support along with trainings.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald, Asfaha Solomon (Engineer), Engineering and Construction Directorate Director at SPHMMC said after the construction of the building, the centers would start to deliver modern medicine for its society particularly for treating cancer within the coming three years, he noted.
“We are preparing all necessary machines with their quality in order to speed up the construction”, Asfeha stated.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 14/2019
BY HIZKEL HAILU
