PMGH children’s cancer ward full

Port Moresby General Hospital's children's cancer ward is operating at full capacity, with growing numbers of children being diagnosed with cancer needing long-term treatment.

And there is an urgent need to expand the ward and establish a centralized adult cancer facility.

Director Medical Services at Port Moresby General Hospital Dr. Kone Sobi told NBC News, the children's cancer ward at Pom Gen has a bed capacity of 12, and usually all beds are occupied at all times.

The cancer ward was opened almost six years ago and has had some renovations since, but demand has grown.

“It has a bed capacity of 12, so 12 patients can stay. Usually, all the beds are often full, occupied at all times. They can stay anywhere from a few weeks to several months, up to 12 months simply because they're coming from outside Port Moresby." Dr. Sobi said.

Dr. Sobi explained that children come from outside Port Moresby, from other provinces, for chemotherapy which goes in cycles — once or twice a week every month for up to six months, depending on the cancer type.

Some stay up to 12 months because they cannot return home between treatments.

He said children around Port Moresby are discharged and return for outpatient clinic.

“There is really a need to increase the capacity because of the growing number of children being diagnosed. We are fortunate in pediatrics to have a designated ward for children with cancer, but in adults, they are all spread out. We look forward to a facility that can have inpatients all in one section. "He said.

While children are fortunate to have a designated ward, adult cancers are spread out — women's cancers at obstetrics and gynecology, surgical cancers in surgical wards, and other cancers in internal medicine wards.

On prevention, he said patients come at quite advanced stages and stressed early detection, with robust screening in communities, especially for common cancers in PNG like mouth cancer, breast and cervical cancer in women, and leukemia in children.