The Federal Ministry of Health, said that the National Hospital Abuja, has received additional radiotherapy machine to boost Cancer treatment in Nigeria.
Mrs Boade Akinola, Director Media and Public Relations of the ministry made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to her, Elekta machine for Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is made up of several components has been delivered at the facility and it would be coupled and installed soon.
She quoted the Chief Medical Director (CMD), National Hospital, Dr. Jeff Momoh, as saying that the Abuja Radiotherapy centre would be the only centre in West Africa running two Linear accelerators at the same time.
The CMD added that the additional machine was to avoid running down the first machine which has currently treated over 200 patients.
Momoh described the arrival of the second machine as a major breakthrough for the country.
He 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.
“A cancer patient has returned from India for treatment at the centre.
”We will soon see patients from other sub-regions receiving cancer treatment in the hospital because of the state of the art equipment available.
“It will be the best Cancer treatment centre in West Africa,” he said.
The CMD commended Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, for seeing to the delivery of the machine.
According to Momoh, 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.
”Similar machines would soon be installed in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country,” he said.
He said the Hospital has fully trained the First set of Nigerians on the maintenance and supervision of the machine under the supervision of Mr Ikede John, a Deputy Director in the Hospital.
He added that Mr Wale Akinola the representative of JNC International manufacturers of the machine was also available to ensure safe delivery of the machine.(NAN)
