PNG Health dept wants law in place to authorize and import cancer radiation machines

PNG Health Secretary Pascoe Kase says the department has plans to procure more modern equipment to help cancer patients.

Laws must be in place for these machines which use larger dose of radioactive substances in treatment, Mr Kase said. He said the equipment in Lae at the Angau Memorial Hospital cancer treatment centre were old and must be replaced.

He said Health Minister Michael Malabag has a submission to Cabinet to approve a new law on radiation and safety, how to manage radioactive substances, how to import these materials and guard them in the country.

“It is not that easy because we need to seek clearance.

“Health Department has sought advice from the International Atomic Energy in Vienna to see how we can have exemptions to the rules to import these machines.

“We were told that we cannot do that due to the risk of radioactive materials falling to the wrong hands. So for this reason, we want to follow proper legal procedures to have a law in place to authorise us to import radioactive materials from overseas,” he said.

He said at the moment, there are options for treatment for cancer patients. Post Courier/ PNG Today