Chemotherapy ward
Cancer is currently the leading cause of death in Tanzania after cardiovascular disease and birth complications. To date, there are only 6 centres for the treatment of malignant diseases in Tanzania and treatment is not yet available in the entire southern part of the country - i.e. within a radius of 500 km around our hospital. The treatment of cancer mainly includes 3 options: Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The application of radiotherapy requires an infrastructure that is very complex and expensive. However, many patients can be helped decisively with surgery and/or chemotherapy. The project aims to establish a unit where chemotherapies can be individually prepared and administered.
A specially designed ward is required for the preparation and administration of chemotherapy solutions. After being prescribed by an oncologist, the solution is prepared by a pharmacist in a special room at a biosafety cabinet. From there, the medicine is brought directly to the treatment room. Here the patients receive the infusions, which are usually applied over several hours, while they can sit or lie comfortably on special chemotherapy chairs.
A waiting area for patients, reception, consultation and side rooms are also required. At our facility in Ndanda we can meet all these requirements by renovation of a vacant building and purchase of some materials.
An oncologist from Dar Es Salaam will visit us regularly in order to examine patients and to prescribe therapies according to current guidelines.
We expect to start with construction in June 2023 and to complete the project in the third quarter of 2023.