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1,500 cancer patients waiting as Apeksha Hospital CT Simulator remains out of order

Around 1,500 patients requiring radiation therapy are facing delays at Maharagama Apeksha Hospital due to the non-functioning of its CT Simulator machine, the Society of Government Radiological Technologists of Sri Lanka said.

The association said the new CT Simulator machine, installed to replace the hospital’s old unit, had been handed over to hospital staff last month for clinical use but remained unusable due to a technical issue.

The problem stemmed from incompatibility between the new machine’s software and the software used for radiation therapy planning, the association said.

The CT Simulator is used to obtain images that help doctors plan radiation treatment accurately for cancer patients.

The association said the delay was causing severe difficulties for patients awaiting treatment.

It also pointed out that obtaining radiation therapy through the private sector could cost a patient between Rs. 500,000 and Rs. 2 million, placing a heavy financial burden on those unable to access treatment through the public health system.