DILI, 30 may 2023 (TATOLI) – The Ministry of Health (MoH) launched the first Medical Oncology Unit at the Guido Valadares National Hospital (HNGV) intending to provide diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer in Timor-Leste.
The Medical Oncology Unit was launched by the Minister of Health, Odete Belo, accompanied by the Vice-Minister of Health, Bonifácio Maucoli dos Reis, the Director of the National Hospital Guido Valadares (HNGV), Alito Soares, and health professionals.
The Oncology (Chemotherapy) Unit will ensure the clinical treatment and management of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
This Medical Oncology Unit will bring patients with cancer together with specialized nursing care. This allows nurses to care for patients with a newly diagnosed cancer, active cancer diagnosis, or patients with a history of cancer.
Three oncologists, four doctors, three pharmacists, and three nurses are specially trained to have the knowledge and experience in caring for patients experiencing complex problems that can be associated with cancer. These health professionals had been trained at Siloam Hospitals in Indonesia.
Minister Belo said that the government, through the Ministry of Health, will allocate money to purchase medical equipment to ensure proper cancer treatment in the country: “We will contract a company to purchase medical equipment and medicines needed for the Medical Oncology Unit, and so on.”
“We have now established a unit for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer in the country. We will give our best in the treatment of our patients with cancer in the country,” said the Head of the Medical Oncology Unit, João Teodoso Amaral, at the launching ceremony, at HNGV, in Dili, today.
He said that the unit will start with the treatment of patients who have undergone treatment abroad and require continuous chemotherapy in the country.
According to the National Cancer Register of HNGV, in the last five years, Timor-Leste registered about 1,000 cancer patients, namely breast cancer, thyroid cancer, cervical cancer, etc. These are the most prevalent cancers in the country.
During the event, the Health Minister also launched the HNGV’s Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG), the screening system, and the official website of the HNGV.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
