All of the components of the two caesium units purchased by the Ministry of Health with the assistance of the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG, are accounted for and the machines will be used, says the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).

Based on documents from a report submitted to the GPHC’s administration by a physicist, which were seen by this newspaper, it was reported that some of the components were missing and that there might have been a leak of radioactive material in the container where the machines are being stored.

However, the hospital, where the units are being stored, yesterday said that no components were missing.

According to the statement issued through Guyenterprise, the hospital also said that efforts are afoot to set up the units in the Cancer centre.

This is the first clear statement that the units would be used since President of the Medical Council of Guyana, Dr MY Bacchus accused Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy of not telling the truth when he had told him the units were going to be used while suggesting to others that this was not the case. In a letter Bacchus had written to the minister, it was stated that the units might not be used as the ministry had opted for more advanced technology.

Ramsammy had replied that there were a number of proposals being looked at including the use of the units.

The GPHC statement yesterday said the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Michael Khan, with assistance from the Ministry of Health, was finalising arrangements for technicians to come and activate the Caesium-137 equipment.

Also the statement said that the Director of Medical & Professional Services, Dr Madan Rambarran was completing a proposal for the additional services that would be provided at the cancer centre. This involves arriving at decisions as to whether the government would be purchasing iridium, cobalt or a linear accelerator for the completion of the cancer centre.

Regretting what it said was the “present state of confusion pertaining to the caesium equipment”, the hospital’s statement confirmed that the government purchased Caesium-137 machines and they were at the hospital. It said that the equipment arrived in Guyana in 2001 with various components, all of which were accounted for.

The statement said the building that was being constructed was not merely for the use of the caesium, but for a complete cancer centre that would have included the use of cobalt.

The building, the release said, had only been recently completed and the health minister convened a meeting to discuss its activation.

The release added that the ministry was working with Dr Walter Chin to have the cancer registry located at the centre while Dr Rambarran is working in collaboration with Dr Chin and is to submit a plan for the introduction of a comprehensive chemotherapy programme to begin as soon as possible.

“These actions were already in train prior to the recent public discussions on the caesium equipment. We again regret the misinformation and misunderstanding that surround the caesium equipment. We hope that this clarifies the issue,” the release ended.

In the report that was submitted to the hospital in March by a physicist, it was stated that purchase sheets showed that two units were acquired, each with five components, however, only two components have been located in the old paediatric ward of the hospital where the units are being housed. The report said that nothing had been found in Ward E where the units were first stored.

The report also stated that no manual was found within the compound and this, the report said, was necessary for setting up the equipment as well as for safety precautions. Contact with the manufacturers has been made via their website and it was learnt that they have stopped manufacturing such units. However, if a copy of the invoice is available, they will look into obtaining another manual.

The report said that the highest radiation activity was observed east of the container which is more than twice the activity coming off the top of the container. The report concluded that this may be due to some spillage inside the container.

It was recommended that a wipe test be performed when opening the container to check for any leakage. A wipe test would determine if there was any contamination present in the container.

The units were bought some four years ago with the assistance of US$20,000 from the CIOG and have not yet been put into use.

The units are used to treat women who have cancer of the cervix and according to persons in the fight against cancer if these units were put into operation then the money used to send women with cancer of the cervix overseas could be used to assist those who have other types of cancer.