There is a sigh of relief for cancer patients at the National Hospital Abuja as the faulty CT simulation machine has finally been fixed following two reports by LEADERSHIP.
LEADERSHIP had on 19 April, 2022 reported how several cancer patients were stranded at the National Hospital over faulty CT simulation machines which had been damaged since January, 2022.
The hospital management in a viral video said all the cancer treatment machines were working at the hospital.
But an investigation by the newspaper revealed that the only CT simulation machine at the National Hospital, Abuja, which had not been functioning since January was still faulty.
The report caused outrage with civil society organisations calling on the minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, to investigate the hospital management and ensure that those who were not doing their work were shown the way out.
Cancer patients referred to the National Hospital from different parts of the country, especially from Northern Nigeria, were stranded for more than four months following the breakdown of the CT simulation machine in the hospital, a machine that cost around $3,000.
LEADERSHIP investigation had revealed that patients, who received or were receiving additional courses of chemotherapy using I.V doxorubicin 90mg, V.I Cyclophosphamide 920mg and I.V docetaxel 120mg, were in a fix as the CT simulation machine did not work for months.
Some of the patients were supposed to undergo External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) which is the most commonly used form of radiation oncology treatment and uses high-dose radiation to destroy cancerous cells or shrink tumours.
LEADERSHIP gathered that during an EBRT procedure, a machine directs external beams of radiation into cancerous areas in the body with extreme precision.
Oncologists say if ‘chemo’ treatment is completed in the patient’s body without further treatment using the CT simulator, it could lead to a repeat of the chemotherapy treatment that will further drain the strength of the patient and may lead to fatality.
The CT simulators imaging data provide a complete 3-D view of the patient’s anatomy, allowing for more accurate delineation of the tumour and the surrounding normal tissues, and helping to determine the exact location, shape and size of the tumour to be treated.
Under normal circumstances, the CT appointment takes one hour, but patients at the National Hospital, Abuja, had to spend over four months waiting while others relocated to Calabar, Enugu and Lagos for such treatment as a result of the malfunctioning of the machine at the National Hospital, Abuja, which put the lives of awaiting patients in danger.
But on a visit to the National Hospital yesterday around 12:30pm, the machine was seen working with patients being attended to.
LEADERSHIP reports that some patients were wheeled from the wards of the hospital to the CT room while others who visited the hospital as a result of an SMS sent to their mobile phones that the machine is now working were attended to for the first time since January.
This reporter interacted with some of the patients and their relations at the hospital who expressed happiness over the functioning of the CT machine.
“We are in high spirits. It is before you hear people dying of cancer anyhow. But with the treatment and prayers, people are surviving. When their machines were faulty, we resigned to faith in God. They sent us an SMS that the machine is working, that’s why I came,” Mrs Nneka, who was at the hospital with her husband treating prostate cancer, said.
“The machines are working now. They have been bringing people even from the wards and they are being attended to very fast. After the other woman, they will attend to my husband, “ Nneka said, adding that this machine started working just yesterday (Tuesday).
“They asked us to come today. They have not told us anything yet. I am here with my mother. She has breast cancer,” Aisha Bala, who brought a patient, said.
A middle-aged man who brought an aged woman to the hospital for cancer treatment, said: “When we started in early January 2022, they ran the radiotherapy for three days and told us to come back after two weeks. Since then, the machine did not work until now. We are happy that mama will continue with the process,” he said.
Also, one of the patients, Nancy Waje, told LEADERSHIP that an SMS was sent to her, confirming that the CT simulation machine is now working.
LEADERSHIP also obtained an SMS sent to the cancer patients by the management of the National Hospital on Wednesday 25/05/2022 announcing that the CT simulation machine is now working.
The SMS read, “Good morning. The CT Simulation machine of NHA is working now. You can come to the clinic and see ur dr for a review. Thank u.”
An oncologist who gave his name as A Bello confirmed that the CT machine is working now, calling on the patients to ensure that they complete their treatment process.
According to Bello, patients who did not do the first course because the CT simulation machine was faulty must ensure they return to the hospital to be attended to.
“Some of them did not do the first course because the machine was faulty. If it is breast cancer for example, if one breast was removed, the person must go through the CT simulation and radiotherapy because the cancer cells must be killed. If they do not complete the process, the other breasts will also start the same problem. So, it is always better for one to complete the cancer treatment.
“We have 10-40 years cancer survivors. The radiotherapy will kill the remaining cancer cells because the operation did not remove everything,” Bello said.
LEADERSHIP had reported that patients who had paid for the CT simulation service were asking for a refund while others were being advised to move to Lagos, Enugu or Calabar in Cross River State.
Even though the public relations officer (PRO) of the National Hospital, Dr Tayo Haastrup, couldn’t respond to inquiry yesterday, he had earlier expressed shock over the faulty of the CT simulation machine and promised to draw the attention of the chief medical director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr Jafaru Momoh.
