Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital’s lone surgical oncologist is to resign soon. This would mean the hospital’s chemotherapy unit could come to a standstill without a surgeon to attend to cancer patients.
A surgical oncologist performs surgeries on patients with stomach cancer, gastritis and ulcer complications. They also prescribe chemotherapy and cancer medications like injections and tablets for patients.
JDWNR Hospital’s Clinical Nurse from chemotherapy unit, Tshering Tobgay said they cannot treat patients without a prescription from a surgical oncologist.
Also, chemotherapy entails long duration of treatment and requires surgeon’s monitoring.
The hospital is exploring possible solutions.
“One is either to hire somebody from outside the country on contract basis. And considering the shortage of such surgeons even in other countries, I am not sure whether we will get a replacement for him,” said Medical Superintendent, Dr. Gosar Pemba.
The other, he said, is to discuss with the Ministry of Health to identify a doctor to send for this particular field of surgery, so that, in another three years, they would have a national doctor in place.
“In the meantime, when we don’t have onco-surgoen, our only option is to refer such patients outside the country for treatment.”
From November 2011 till last year, over 440 cancer patients- newly diagnosed as well as the ones requiring repeated chemotherapy – have been admitted to chemotherapy unit.
On an average, two to three new cases of cancer are being detected every month. The common cancer diseases are stomach, throat and neck cancer, cervical cancer and thyroid cancer.
Doctors say most of the cancers are preventable and if diagnosed early, even curable.
But, the doctors say people visit hospital only after severe symptoms start showing.
Furthermore, JDWNR Hospital does not have mass screening of people for early detection at present.
The hospital’s most suitable option for early diagnosis is to recommend people to do checkups occasionally and carry out health promotion on healthy eating habits.
