Two-third childhood cancer survivors being deprived of treatment

KATHMANDU: FEB. 15 – Out of a total number of cancer surviving children, two-thirds of them are being deprived of medical treatment facilities, it is said.

A large number of children with cancer are being denied of their access to treatment facilities due to financial affordability and lack of public awareness.

The director at Kanti Children’s Hospital, Dr Ajit Rayamajhi shared that only one-third of cancer survivor children turn up to the hospital for treatment and get the full treatment.

International Childhood Cancer Day is being observed today across the world including Nepal. Rayamajhi shared that many parents lack awareness that childhood cancer could be cured with treatment.

He added, “Many parents do not bring their children for treatment thinking that cancer treatment is expensive. It takes two three-year-long treatment.” It is necessary to make the parents aware that cancer disease could be cured and treatment of cancer is not so expensive, said Director Rayamajhi.

The government had made available some of the childhood cancer treatment services at hospitals free of cost and has also been freely providing medicine up to Rs 100,000. He shared that around 20-30 per cent of children visiting the hospital used to return home without treatment or quit treatment in the middle due to financial reasons.

Out of 25,000 new cancer patients in the country every year, 1,500 are children. Children are found suffering from blood cancer, lymphoma, retinoblastoma, brain and kidney tumour. As informed a total of 200 cancer surviving children had received treatment at Kanti Children Hospital last year.

Similarly, Director at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital Dr Bishnu Dutta Poudel said 70 per cent of childhood cancer is cured if it is timely treated.

Poudel shared that 43 children belonging to (1-4) years, 63 belonging to (5-14) and 214 of (15-19) received treatment at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital last year.

Ophthalmologist Dr Purnima Rajkarnikar of Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology stated that children are found suffering from retinoblastoma. Most children below five are found suffering from such problems. Around 50 children suffering from retinoblastoma visit Tilganga Hospital annually, she shared.

Likewise, Patan Hospital has also offered treatment to cancer survivor children for the last two years. Nepal has set a target to fully cure 60 per cent, out of total childhood cancer patients, by 2030.

-RSS