Whilst the incidence of cancer continues to rise in the country and those affected have limited access to treatment, the Rosa Emilia de Tavares National Cancer Institute, a modern cancer center that was inaugurated over a year ago, built and fully equipped at a cost of around RD$5 billion, still has not opened to serve the general public.
The Dr. Heriberto Pieter Oncology Institute has a high demand for its services especially from low-income patients who arrive from around the country. It sees around 1,800 patients a day, meaning that patients have to be managed strictly to ensure that the 104 beds are used to their best ability.
Julia Guerra de Oller from the Dominican League Against Cancer says that when the National Cancer Institute was built it was supposed to house the Dr Heriberto Pieter Oncology Institute but then during President Leonel Fernandez’s last term of office he issued a decree to change that.
She said that she did not know why it had not opened but that they had everything at the Oncology Institute including qualified staff, administrative experience and that they knew how to operate all of the equipment. In addition they were a teaching hospital.
The opening of the new National Cancer Institute has been postponed several times, and no date has yet been set. No one is in charge since Catalina Gonzalez Pons resigned last October, after being appointed to the post by President Leonel Fernandez in March 2012.
Public Health Minister Freddy Hidalgo has cited construction problems with the electrical system and cabling as the reason for the prolonged delay in opening the center.
www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2013/11/12/299395/El-nuevo-Instituto-Cancer-sigue-con-puertas-cerradas