Oncology

Globally, cancer is becoming one of major public health related challenges among many developed and developing countries. According to the GLOBOCAN reports in 2020, globally, there were 19.3 million new cancer cases were diagnosed and almost nearly 10 million cancer related death were occurred in the same year.

Although infectious diseases continue to be a major public-health problem among many sub–Saharan countries, the proportion diseases burden attributed to non-communicable diseases including cancer is significantly rising among nations. Next to Nigeria, Ethiopia is the 2nd most densely populated country among the sub- Saharan countries having more than 110 million populations with poor health care system. According to 2011 WHO reports, among all deaths occurring in the county, nearly 34% were attributed to the non-communicable disease and Cancer contributed nearly 5.8% from total national mortality and recent data showed that cancer is becoming one of emerging Health threatening condition among many Ethiopian’s and creating significant burden to the health care system. Even though, the country do not have cancer registry system, among adult’s cancers patients treated at Tikur Anbesa tertiary Hospital, female breast cancer were the most common cancer diagonse accounting 20.8 % followed by cervical (13.4%) and colorectal cancer (5.7%).In Ethiopia, most cancer patients do not have access to cancer treatments. Until recently, TikurAnbessa Specialize tertiary hospital (TASH),found in the capital city of Ethiopia, were the only hospital having radiotherapy service in the country. Considering the high burden of cancer patients in the center, the Ethiopian healthcare authorities has developed national cancer controlling strategic plan In

2015Gc, which primarily aiming improving accesses to cancer treatment through establishing a new cancer centers. One of the most significant steps taken is the establishment of new 6 specialized cancer centers at the teaching university hospitals of Gondar, Hawassa, Mekelle, Jimma, Haramaya and St.Paul’s Hospital.Gondar University Hospital has opened its first cancer treatment unit on January 2015GC, having a total ten bed serving as both in-patient and outpatients cancer treatment. The hospital has ability to provide highly specialized treatment services including pathology services, comprehensive radiology services, comprehensive medical laboratory services, specialized surgical and gynecological oncology services including chemotherapy. Currently, the Gondar university hospital has both separate pediatric and adult oncology unit having more than 32 beds and treating nearly 3000 cancer patients annually. On top of that, one of the major achievements of the center was the establishment of a regular multidisciplinary tumor board consisting of a group of medical professionals including a pathologist, a radiologist, a surgeon and the attending physician.

 Currently, in order to improving quality of cancer care in the region, the University has constructing a new oncology center which will provide radiotherapy service for more than 30 million people living in Amhara regional state and expected to be functional at the end of 2023GC. By that time, it’s expected that, this oncology Center will improve significantly the quality of cancer care given, as well as, chance

Of cancer curing among cancer patients treated at Gondar university hospital