AROUND 40 per cent of cancer patients in Cyprus are from Limassol and Paphos, and yet the state has failed to fulfil its 2002 commitment to build an oncology centre and a radiotherapy unit in Limassol, according to the Citizen Action Initiative (CAI).
CAI has complained that Limassol has been excluded from the developments in cancer treatment and lambasted the state’s decision to set up another radiotherapy unit in Nicosia, adding to the island’s sole unit which is also found in the capital.
CAI, which was established two years ago in order to advocate the creation of an oncology centre and a radiotherapy unit in Limassol also revealed that there were apparently plans to set up another oncology centre in Nicosia, despite the fact that an oncology clinic in the Limassol general hospital was only set up as recently as 2004.
Earlier this month, at the presentation of the 2012 health budget in the House, Health Minister, Stavros Malas, said that as part of the budget, two new radiotherapy units would be set up in Nicosia and Limassol while the Limassol oncology clinic would be boosted with an MRI machine.
The decision to set up another radiotherapy unit in Nicosia was met with heavy criticism, with Limassol representatives claiming that the state had decisions dating back to 2002 which looked to enhance cancer treatment in the city.
CAI’s Eva Papadopoulou said that several cancer patients from Limassol and Paphos had to board buses everyday to travel to the island’s sole radiotherapy unit in Nicosia for a five-minute treatment.
Over 1.2 per cent of the population suffered from cancer in 2008, while reports claim that approximately 33 per cent of the population encounter cancer at some point in their life.
Cancer patient figures have experienced a stark increase this year, noting a 4.0 per cent increase with over 2,000 people being diagnosed each year.
Adamos Adamou, a member of the House Health Committee and the Cyprus Anti-Cancer board, said that Nicosia had the infrastructure to house a new radiotherapy unit immediately once bids for the machinery were evaluated in January. In the case of Limassol, bids would have to be evaluated in May for constructing a building and then offers could be received for the purchase of the machinery.
According to reports, a new oncology centre will be built in Limassol in the near future by a German company, which will offer treatment to both Cypriots and other EU nationals. This will see the opening of the market for cancer treatment, as patients will have a choice of where to be treated.
“There is no doubt that Limassol needs an oncology centre and the house and the state are working in this direction” said Adamou, while expressing his optimism that a comprehensive health plan would be designed soon which would consolidate cancer treatment throughout the island.
Malas has since provided clarifications, reiterating the commitment of the government to create radiotherapy units in both Nicosia and Limassol.
Malas said that there would be three different independent competitions for the creation of the radiotherapy units; the first relating to the infrastructure of the Nicosia general hospital in January, the second for the infrastructure of the Limassol general hospital in May, and finally a common competition for the equipment of both units in September 2012.
“The Nicosia competition will take place four months earlier than the Limassol one, purely because there is already a detailed architectural plan for it” said Malas.
He said that the works in Nicosia would be completed in less than a year from the competition date because the radiotherapy unit would be an extension of the general hospital’s oncology clinic which is already operational.
The minister said that the Health Ministry was already looking for the required medical staff to employ at the two radiotherapy units.
