Srinagarind Hospital has urged the National Health Security Office (NHSO) to take steps to deal with the influx of cancer patients as it has witnessed an 830% surge in treatment seekers under the Cancer Treatment Anywhere (CA) programme.
Hospital director Dr Somsak Tiamkao said on Tuesday its facility was overwhelmed by a spike in cancer patients referred to the hospital under the NHSO’s CA programme. This has overstretched the hospital's resources and manpower, he noted.
Since the programme referrals started, cancer patients at Srinagarind Hospital have jumped 830%.
The hospital also serves as a teaching facility for medical students. However, the surge in cancer patients has posed major challenges, especially in terms of personnel, and the hospital's ability to train medical students and provide overall services.
The hospital simply cannot expand its beds, doctors, nurses or medical staff, which threatens to compromise its medical standards.
Dr Somsak noted that, previously, one doctor would finish their morning diagnosis of patients and then proceed to teach medical students or do research. Now, doctors are swamped with the excessive workload and are preoccupied until late evening.
“We need to have a serious discussion with the NHSO.
"The programme must follow clear guidelines and procedures set by the NHSO. We are not refusing treatment, but we want cancer care to be standardised across all hospitals,” he said, adding all hospitals have the expertise to provide such care.
'The NHSO needs to discuss, listen and help solve these issues instead of letting the situation escalate like a ‘broken dam,’" he said.
