The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has donated GH¢100,000 to the Oncology Centre of the Tamale Teaching Hospital towards the treatment of cancer patients.
The amount is to fund the cost of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment of some of the breast, cervical, prostate and liver cancer patients.
A Deputy Chief Executive of NPA, Mrs Linda Asante, who donated on behalf of the NPA’s Chief Executive, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, at the hospital on Wednesday, said the gesture was to ease the burden on cancer patients at the Oncology Centre.
She said the support for the Centre was part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments of the NPA.
She indicated that the idea to support cancer patients was mooted by the NPA Ladies’ Association two years ago as part of its breast cancer awareness campaign.
The idea was embraced by the NPA’s Chief Executive, which culminated in the first donation of GH¢100,000 to the National Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital last year.
In his response, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Adam Atiku thanked the NPA for the donation as it would go a long way in footing the bills for the treatment of many cancer patients at the Oncology Centre.
He said the hospital had been recording increased cases of breast and cervical cancer in women, prostate cancer in men and liver cancer for both men and women.
He said breast cancer topped the chart of cancer cases and had become a burden on families and the hospital.
Dr Atiku expressed worry that cancer was the second or third leading cause of death among children, and indicated that cancer was curable when detected early.
Dr Atiku said the Oncology Centre receives more patients from neighbouring and Sahelian countries.
However, Dr. Atiku said the Oncology Centre does only surgery and chemotherapy and refers the radiotherapy cases to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital due to the absence of radiotherapy machines.
Besides, he said the Centre does not have a mammogram for cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Atiku, therefore, appealed to corporate bodies to support the Oncology Centre to acquire radiotherapy machines and a mammogram.
The NPA team included the Director of Finance and President of the NPA Ladies’ Association, Mrs Ayi Zakariah, the Communication Manager, Mr Mohammed Abdul-Kudus, and the Manager of CSR, Ms Natasha Boakye.