(Barbados Nation) With the radiotherapy machine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) out of operation for several months, close to 100 cancer patients are on a waiting list to get the life-saving procedure in other countries.
Reliable sources reported that it “broke down” almost a year ago and technicians at the QEH were finding it difficult to source parts because the machine was obsolete.
As a result, cancer patients who are required to undergo radiation therapy, an important stage of cancer treatment since it destroys cancer cells, are being advised that they will have to get the treatment either in Jamaica, Trinidad, Colombia or Miami.
“Those with health insurance can pay but those who can’t are being referred to the Social Care Department [of the QEH] to have the hospital fund the bill, but you can imagine that with so many people requiring the treatment, the list continues to grow and grow,” one source said, pointing out that the treatment could range between five and 12 weeks and cost from US$25 000 to US$40 000.
When contacted about the machine being out of use and the impact on cancer patient care, Shane Sealy, communications specialist at the QEH, responded: “Any information relative to patient care is confidential.” He advised that patients should contact the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS).
Nigel Whitehall, QEH chairman, declined to comment, referring the newspaper to the Director of Engineering Services.
Two women, one of whom has been put on the waiting list, told the Saturday Sun that after receiving the devastating news they had cancer, they were equally shocked to learn they could not get the radiation treatment at the QEH because the machine was not working.
“I was diagnosed with cancer last year and it was suggested that I undergo a course of treatment with radiation. I was informed at the Oncology Department that the treatment should start six to eight weeks after the diagnosis. I was supposed to have received radiation treatment by now but I was told that the radiation machine is not working and it has not been working for almost a year. The only options I had was to wait until whenever it got fixed, try to do it privately overseas through my insurance company, or go through the Social Services Committee which would fund emergency cases overseas.
‘Committee has no money’
“I was also told that the committee has no money and can only start funding when the new financial year starts in April. I have been dealing with this since last year but at this point nobody is getting radiation treatment at the hospital, and the only place that offers it in Barbados is the Queen Elizabeth Hospital,” the woman lamented.
She added she was informed that the radiation machine was so obsolete and that many countries did not have the parts to repair it.
In terms of the four available countries to obtain the treatment, she said: “When I checked it was US$27 000 to have it done in Jamaica for a five-week treatment, and US$35 000 to have it done in Miami for eight-and-a-half-weeks; and that is if you have insurance,” the woman said, pointing out she was having difficulties with her insurance company footing the bill.
“Right now, I am literally fighting for a solution for my life,” she cried, adding that with every passing day she was getting more and more anxious over the delay.
The other woman said she was “horrified” when she found out the radiotherapy machine was not working.
She said she considered setting up a GoFundMe account to turn to the public for assistance in financing the huge bill, but has since been notified that she was on the list to get assistance from the Social Care Department to travel overseas. She said that will include travel for two and the cost of the treatment.
“It is very stressful because after completing chemotherapy you have to go on to radiation so people are just waiting and hoping.”
