No more oncological radiotherapy at the Businco hospital in Cagliari for women with breast cancer and men with prostate cancer: the facility closes for five months for "technological renewal". People struggling for life are being urged to look elsewhere. Where?
At San Francesco di Nuoro there is a lack of technicians and they can't even give answers to their patients, Sassari is in extreme difficulty and has to divert people to other parts, currently only Mater Olbia is guaranteeing the service on the island, but the demand has increased exponentially, and – with the current workforce – it has now almost reached the limit of possibilities.
A circular signed yesterday by the director of the complex structure of Oncological Radiotherapy Raffaele Barbara warned all the operators of the department that "due to the replacement of the old linear accelerators - Linac, from 5 June to 30 October 2023 , patients suffering from prostate cancer and patients with breast cancer cannot be recruited for radiation treatment. For these, the waiting list exceeds 120 days (oncologically inadequate times for the treatment of these pathologies)", therefore, "the treatment must be carried out at another facility in the national territory".
The controversy was immediate, on which the Councilor for Health, Carlo Doria intervened: "For years now the radiotherapy of the Businco hospital has had to face continuous discomfort and interruptions of treatments due to the frequent breakdowns of obsolete machinery", explains the exponent of the Giunta Solinas. At Oncologico, the regional reference center of Sardinia , "an exceptional operation is underway to modernize the equipment which will bring enormous benefits in terms of treatment and efficiency, with an enormous reduction in waiting times". This is the reassurance: the strategy to be adopted to strengthen the other radiotherapy centers on the island, «in support of the planned intervention at Businco, will be at the center of the meeting to be held tomorrow in the department and which will involve the top management of Arnas Brotzu , of the Asl of Nuoro, of the Aou of Sassari and of the Mater Olbia».
A total of four radiotherapy machines that will be replaced at Businco for a total investment of 20 million euros.
«We are talking about a long-awaited intervention that will radically change the quality of care in Sardinia . The operations for the replacement have already started since April», adds Doria, «unfortunately also the availability of the supplier companies, engaged throughout Italy with similar interventions, following the investments of the Pnrr, has further tightened the operating margins. It is inevitable that all this creates discomfort, but this does not mean that patients will be left to their own devices, nor will we give up on providing care ». The operation of the radiotherapy which will remain in operation will be implemented for at least 12 hours and «we have already published an expression of interest to enhance the service at San Francesco di Nuoro. We are also evaluating solutions to increase the capacity of Mater Olbia, whose service is currently in operation from 8 to 18».
(Unioneonline/E.Fr.)
