Madrid/Oncologist Marcelino Santana Rodríguez, head of the radiotherapy service in the central region of the island, gave details on Tuesday over the Acquisition of three machines They are already serving several provinces. These are radiotherapy equipment Cobalt-60 Terabalt Phoenix, of the Canadian firm Best Theratronics, whose cost has not been revealed, although these machines can cover prices from 400,000 to more than one million dollars, depending on the characteristics, if the equipment is new or used and other factors, including negotiation capacity.
Official sources do not need how the purchase was financed, but the usual sour comment On the embargo: “Despite the blockade, #Cubaporlavida continues to advance with hope and commitment,” writes the Ministry of Public Health on social networks, without explaining that the Canadian manufacturer is the main world supplier of this type of machines and that it is not the first one that Cuba acquires.
With the new devices it is planned to benefit thousands of cancer patients who until now lacked the possibility of having the treatment near or even accessing it. At the end of MayJorge Álvarez Blanco, head of oncology in Sancti Spíritus, revealed to the official press that the machine in Villa Clara had a completely out of service a year, causing no patient to have been treated in the province. “Cuba has eight radiotherapy units distributed in the country, but about a year ago we cannot radiate any case in Villa Clara because there have been difficulties of different types with the equipment, in its renewal in the license, since it is nuclear energy for human purposes,” he said.
With the new devices it is planned to benefit thousands of cancer patients who until now lacked the possibility of having the treatment near or even accessing it
“Irradian 60 or 70 patients in a country that has been without a team at some point. It is very complex not to have radiotherapy,” added the doctor, according to which there were more affected provinces, among which Holguín and Matanzas and, even, Havana.
The capital will not benefit from the recent acquisitions, according to Santana Rodríguez, which broken down the destinations of the three teams. One of them has gone to the Celestino Hernández Robau Oncological Hospital, in Villa Clara, who serves patients from Avila’s blind killings; Another, to the Territorial Oncological Center of Holguín, which assumes the patients of the eastern zone; and the third to the María Curie Oncological Provincial Hospital, from Camagüey, who also serves the Tunas and part of the blind of Ávila.
The doctor indicated that the availability of the new machines will allow not only to have a renewed technology, but also to reduce waiting lists, since these equipment can serve more than 600 patients a year, “many more” – he said without specifying figures – that until now, when their abilities were very limited by the obsolete of the equipment, due to the exploitation years.
The specialist specified that patients with priority are patients with breast and prostate cancer, the most frequent, as well as those of mouth, uterus and pediatric tumors. In addition, the official press took advantage of the news to offer data of this disease in Cuba, although more outdated than desirable.
According to Dr. Janet Lamadrid García, head of the Department of Pathological Anatomy of the Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology, throughout the decade of 2010 to 2019, cancer cases increased to an average of 934 per year in men and 764 in women. The perspective is of growth, since in recent years about 55,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and 57,000 are planned around 2030, especially skin (non -melanoma), lung, prostate, mouth, colon and larynx, in men; and skin (no melanoma), breast, lung, colon and cervix, in women.
The aging of the population is one of the factors that affects the increase, although in the specific case of Cuba there is a concern, revealed by Jorge Álvarez Blanco last month in Escambray: Resource scarcity is complicating early detection, something fundamental to improve patient recovery expectations. “The majority of cancers are coming in unqualable stages,” he warned.
Yesterday, Dr. Lamadrid García said that one in five deaths on the island is due to cancer and, the most alarming, the age of the deceased descends
Yesterday, Dr. Lamadrid García said that one in five deaths on the island is due to cancer and, the most alarming, the age of the deceased descends. 60% of cases are concentrated in Havana, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba, although the disease is generalized.
The official note underlines the importance of these new teams, which will improve the survival of the sick and their quality of life since “they were forced to travel long distances to be treated in other territories that did have similar equipment.”
The implementation of the new radiotherapy machines had been advanced in social networks by the Ministry of Public Health and several official profiles. The reactions were mostly of happiness, especially among those who pointed out that they could finally finish their treatments in nearby hospitals. But there was also some more bitter message. “My father died for not having that same team in Santa Clara,” said one user. “There are at least hope for all those who are going on that strong process.”
