Martins Ifijeh
The National Hospital, has taken delivery of the second Radiotherapy machine for Cancer treatment in Abuja. The Elekta machine for Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is made up of several components to be coupled and installed soon.
Speaking in a brief interview at the hospital, the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital, Dr. Jeff Momoh, said the Abuja Radiotherapy Centre would be the only centre in West Africa running two Linear accelerators at the same time.
This, the CMD explained, was to avoid running down the 1st machine which has currently treated over 200 patients.
Describing the arrival of the 2nd machine as a major breakthrough for the country, the CMD said its installation would further check medical tourism as patients who travelled abroad for cancer treatment would return home to receive treatment at the centre.
In his words, “A cancer patient has returned from India for treatment at the centre and we will soon see patients from other sub-regions receiving cancer treatment in the hospital because with the state of the art equipment available, it will be the best Cancer treatment centre in West Africaâ€
Commending the Honourable Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, for seeing to the delivery of the machine, Dr. Momoh informed that the procurement of the second machine was made possible by the unflinching commitment of the Minister who had earlier made a pledge to the hospital in that regards.
According to Momoh, similar machines would soon be installed in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country.
On the maintenance and optimum functionality of the Cancer machine, the CMD said the Hospital has fully trained the First set of Nigerians on the maintenance and supervision of the Linear Accelerator under the supervision of Engr. Ikede John, a Deputy Director in the National Hospital, Abuja, to ensure its proper use.
To ensure safe delivery of the machine was, the representative of its manufacturer, JNC International Ltd, Engr. Wale Akinola.
