The Cancer Centre at David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH) has been certified to commence standard cancer treatment to patients in Nigeria and beyond.

The checklist used for the evaluation included equipment capabilities assessment, availability of necessary supportive care, adequate manpower for best outcomes possible, equipment and technology to ensure comprehensive approach to cancer treatment and planning and other priority medical devices for cancer management.

The pass was given after a joint inspection tour of facilities on Tuesday to ascertain the viability and readiness of services at the centre.

On the team were the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee Dr Ehidiamhen Felix who represented the CMD, a Radiation and Clinical Oncologist Dr Ikechukwu Chukwuocha who doubles as HOD Oncology Department DUFUTH, the Lead Radiotherapist Ekene Udeh, and the Centre's Senior Medical Physicist Adekunle Hazeez.

Inspected by the team were the Nurses station, consulting rooms, treatment planning rooms, server room, chemo preparation and chemo treatment rooms as well as the CT Simulator room.

Also inspected were the state-of-the-art diagnostic and imaging machines for screening, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, including the Brachytherapy machine, the Radiotherapy technology also known as Linear Accelerator, immobilisation devices as well as the centre's 550 and 115 KVA generator, among other critical exterior installations.

The team leader, Dr Felix Ehidiamhen also interacted extensively with the Centre staff on their preparedness for expected influx of patients which was greeted with an affirmative response.

Dr Ehidiamhen during the interaction assured of pocket friendly bills and ambulance services for critically ill patients.

The Centre is equipped with personnel who have been trained on cancer treatment and management while the care packages include multi-leaf collimators systems, 3-Dimensional conformal technology as well as high and low energy x-ray (photon and electron) with minimized side effects for patients.

Agwu N. O.

Public Relations Officer DUFUTH