Currently, there are few centers in the country that have a machine for the necessary radiotherapy for cancer treatments: Incan, La Costa and Codas Thompson. Those that have diagnostic imaging centers are also small: Codas Thompson, Iribas and Imagix SA
Why is it so complicated to offer services for these procedures, as well as to provide greater opportunities for cancer patients when it comes to performing their treatments? According to some complaints that were brought to the El Independiente team, the mentioned services are not offered on a massive scale due to the obstacles that are put in place for the importation of the machines used.
At the time of importing, the regulations were changing and the National Health Surveillance Directorate (Dinavisa) appeared as one of the intervening entities, the Ministry of Health and later the Radiological and Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARRN) since 2016, who generate licenses to import machines and operate them.
In 2018 the regulations began to change and among them, Dinavisa put specific conditions regarding the used machines that had to be acquired. The first obstacle began when Customs went digital and within its processes it became necessary to obtain a registration of the brand to be imported, which was difficult considering that the machines were used.
Later, in 2019, a Brazilian investment group came with the intention of importing the linear accelerator equipment, to do radiotherapy. However, some time before the machine arrives, a “suspicious” regulation comes out, prohibiting the import of type I, II and III radiation equipment, which would come falls into the first group.
The machine was retained in the port for 7 to 8 months, due to the aforementioned provision; During that period, the only existing linear accelerator in the Incan broke down and there was no radiotherapy equipment available in the country, but one was in the port, being retained.
Later, another regulation came out to prohibit the transfer of machinery within the local territory; that is, if you bought a machine in Asunción and you are the owner, you cannot sell it to anyone else. The machine was installed in a cancer center in Ciudad del Este (CDE) 8 to 9 months later, but it was not enabled for use, even with quality controls.
Ironically, the linear accelerator worked at Incan for 6 years without a license or calibration device. For this reason, in a week the ARRN obtained the required license for the institute, the same one that the CDE center needed months ago to be authorized.
COUNTERPART
The head of the ARRN, Minister Mario Gutiérrez, declared that the provisions carried out do not constitute an obstacle for those who want to import and subsequently operate with the aforementioned machines, but rather represent a control and prevention measure for any adverse effect that may occur to the use uncontrolled equipment.
Mario Gutierrez
“We make no decision or determination without consulting our technical team because they inform us whether or not our country is in a position to operate with these machines, mainly those that are type I and have a high level of radiation,” explained the minister.
He went on to say that if used equipment is imported and does not have a certification, having a poor calibration, it could generate a delicate scenario in the country, even more so considering that the aforementioned machines are widely used in oncological treatments.
“The linear accelerator is very delicate because a single incorrectly calibrated millimeter can cause serious effects on the person, even cutting the artery in the middle and even causing death; in some countries the aforementioned effects were observed, ”he warned.
In this regard, he reiterated the importance of having a guarantee to achieve the authorization of the aforementioned machines. In that sense, he stressed that a third linear accelerator will arrive, it will be a donation and will have the guarantee of the United Nations, to give greater peace of mind regarding the use of the equipment.
“We do not put any obstacles in anything because in fact we want these teams to come to the country and be used for the benefit of all. I invite everyone who has problems to come to a joint solution and see an alternative to come to the institution,” said the minister.
