A clinical oncology unit opens

Kolda Regional Hospital has taken a further step in improving its care provision with the opening of a clinical oncology unit, the first of its kind in the region.

As part of efforts to strengthen specialised care in the south of Senegal, the hospital has opened a new clinical oncology unit, a major advance in the care of patients with cancer. In its first phase the unit will provide regular oncology consultations for patients from across the region. Until now, people with cancer often had to travel to Dakar or Touba for specialised care, which created significant financial, social and logistical hardship for families.

Through this initiative the hospital aims to become a strategic relay point in the organisation of cancer care, in particular for referral to central facilities specialising in radiotherapy and other complementary treatments.

The hospital director, Dr Makhan Danfakha, noted that cancer is now one of the leading public health priorities worldwide, and also a major challenge for the southern regions of the country where access to specialised care remains limited.

In his view, the opening of the unit is an important advance for local people thanks to the proximity of the services now on offer. It will allow better management of oncological emergencies, closer follow up of patients and appropriate medical support, pending the forthcoming opening of a day chemotherapy unit.

This new momentum reflects the hospital's determination to build up its technical capacity step by step and to improve access to specialised care for people across the southern zone.