Pediatric Oncology Nurses at the Tamale Teaching Hospital will breathe a sigh of relief in the diagnoses and treatment of some childhood cancers in the region.
The relief comes after the first lady of the country Gloria Akuffo Addo made an announcement that the cost associated with the treatment of some four childhood cancers and family planning will be covered under the National Health Insurance Scheme with TTH among other hospitals providing oncology services.
This will take effect from January 2022 when the scheme would be a year away from its 20th anniversary. The four childhood cancers include, Burkitt Lymphoma, Retinoblastoma, Wilm’s tumour and Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
In an interview with a Pediatric Oncology Nurse at TTH Peter Ton-Laar he said, the initiative will bring hope to children and their families as far as easing the burden of financing of treatment is concerned.
‘’Childhood cancer has been neglected for so long and the arrival of this initiative will save lives and restore hope in the hearts of the people especially parents whose children have been diagnosed of cancer , I am very happy to the First Lady’’, he noted.
Mr Ton-Laar confirmed that the four cancers are the common conditions treated at the hospitals in the country, attributing it to lack of childhood cancer awareness among the general public. He mentioned that the issue of inadequate drugs and machines has been the challenges confronting the Oncology unit, but was optimistic that the First lady’s words will be of great help to the children in the region.
‘’The painful movement of patients from Tamale to Accra or Kumasi for scans and tests will be a thing of the past’’, he mentioned.
He however appealed to benevolent organizations, individuals to come to their aid. He also advised parents to report strange conditions in their children to the hospital for early diagnoses and treatment. Cancer he cautioned can be cured if detected early.
By: Lilian D. Walter/zaanews.com/Ghana