A team from SG Cancer Foundation paid a visit to the Paediatric Oncology Unit at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra on 13th February to familiarise ourselves with the work being done at the department.
Professor Lorna Awo Renner who received the team briefed us on the activities of the unit. She mentioned that there are only two hospitals – Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, that have comprehensive paediatric cancer units. And only about 300 cases (25%) are seen yearly in total by the two centres.
She mentioned also that there is a general lack of awareness about childhood cancer in Ghana. However, childhood cancer can be cured provided the known effective treatments are made available, affordable and cases reported early.
We also visited the Childhood Cancer Daycare unit to familiarise ourselves with the work being done there. A number of children were in the Daycare receiving chemotherapy and we interacted with some doctors and nurses in the Daycare. We also observed that some of the kids, as they waited for their turn, were making beads and we were told the department engages the services of two teachers to teach the children in beadmaking, art, reading and also help with home-work, as cancer could keep a child out of school for prolonged periods.
We learnt that some of the challenges the department faces includes lack of National Health Insurance (NHIS) cover for childhood cancers which puts the full burden of cost of treatment on parents. However, since most parents are not able to fund the cost of treatment, the department relies heavily on donations from philanthropists to help less privileged patients.
Other challenges include lack of awareness about childhood cancers leading to later diagnosis, high rate of treatment abandonment due to the cost burden, limited access to services leading to late presentation and inadequate supportive and palliative care. Wrong diagnosis, late diagnosis and the cost of treatment affect the survival of the children.
SG Cancer pledged to support the unit and childhood cancers.
