Mandatory treatment for cancer not readily available, despite early detection
Published:Wednesday | October 15, 2025 | 12:07 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
October is recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month globally, and Jamaica is making a remarkable effort via print, broadcast and social media to stress the importance of early screening. There is, however, a huge ‘BUT’ which the public needs to understand and that the Ministry of Health must address. If a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, the treatment options usually include radiation, chemotherapy and/or a mastectomy. International clinical studies vary as it relates to waiting times between mastectomy and starting radiation treatment. The National Cancer Intelligence Network in the UK suggests the start of radiotherapy should be no more than 31 days after a mastectomy. The USA suggests between three to 12 weeks.
There are only two radiation machines (digital linear accelerator machines) in Jamaica. One is at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, St James, the other is located at the National Cancer Treatment Centre at St Joseph’s Hospital in Kingston. The schedule to get radiation treatment is beyond crammed to capacity when the machines are actually working, with waiting times sometimes over a year post-surgery. Therefore, the patient’s survival rate is significantly decreased. There is, however, a glimmer of hope for those who can afford to pay in excess of $3 million, as there is one privately owned radiation machine (for the minority of patients).
So, in as much as educating the public about early cancer detection is important– without the mandatory treatment being readily available in Jamaica, the pink ads, pink walk-a-thons, lavish banquets and public hoopla – it is futile. So yes, get diagnosed early, but remember, Jamaica can’t offer you treatment any time soon. The Ministry of Health must deal with this now.
O. CAMRY
Liguanea