Dear Editor,
Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran made the right decision when he shut down the Georgetown Cancer Centre by refusing to licence the facility because of the leakage of radiation, which presents a grave and serious threat to the health of the people who work, visit, and attend as patients at this facility.
I was shocked when I read the story in SN recently, of radiation leakage. I happen to know something of the genesis of this facility. I was fortunate to meet Charwin Burnham many years ago in 2002 at Piarco Airport. He had gone to seek help and advice for the establishment of a radiation centre. He told me the sum of $28M had been allocated for this facility, but there were no specs available since no one involved in the project had the expertise required. He was told the funds were very inadequate to construct such a facility to deliver radiation in a safe manner.
However, here we are with a facility that leaks radiation, and as a physicist who worked in the radiation field this causes me great concern. First I understand that the radiation oncologist who is in charge is not present when the majority of radiation is delivered; he visits from the USA every 6-10 weeks. This must be the only facility where radiation is delivered without a radiation specialist on site. This would not be allowed in any recognized radiation facility. How is this possible and why is this allowed in Guyana?
Is there a physicist on site to monitor radiation levels and radiation leakage or to maintain the Lineac accelerator which uses radioactive material caesium and or radium? If there is, the question is how could this have happened? Who was overseeing the operation and certification of this cancer facility? Who was responsible for checking that the correct amount of radiation was being delivered to the precise location to treat the cancer? Were the staff being monitored to determine the amount of radiation they were exposed to on a monthly basis? Can we see the reports from a reputable
international agency which carried out these checks on the staff?
An important aspect of radiation delivery is the availability of a dosimitrist, who is a highly trained professional responsible for the planning of the radiation to be delivered to ensure that the maximum radiation is delivered to the cancer while sparing the healthy tissue. Is there a dosimitrist attached to this facility to do the detailed and complex planning required using computer modelling and CT simulation to ensure that the correct dose of radiation is given safely?
What is the level of training of the radiotherapist and the staff who deliver the radiation? Where were they trained , for how long were they trained , what certification was obtained by the people who are left on their lonesome to deliver radiation ? How were they able to cope with any issues as a result of radiation treatment? Who was responsible for treating patients who had complications from the radiation and what was the level of experience and training of the staff?
If any of the above questions revealed a lack of suitable personnel with the proper training then patients treated at the Guyana Cancer Centre should be audited to ensure that the right treatment was given with the proper safeguard.
The Brian Lara Cancer Centre in Trinidad had a similar experience where more than a 100 cancer patients were given more radiation than prescribed, which led to serious toxicity and harm. Trinidad is far better equipped and capable of delivering radiation treatment, yet they made major errors. Are we now witnessing a similar tragedy in Guyana on a larger scale? Clearly we lack the proper personnel expertise and oversight.
The only organization capable of a thorough investigation into this is the IAEA International Atomic Energy Association HQ in Vienna; they should be asked to urgently investigate and pronounce on this facility. Minister Ramsaran owes it to the patients and their families who were treated at the Guyana Cancer Clinic.
Yours faithfully,
David Rutherford
