Radiotherapy

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Yes, I know today is Sunday but they have a 6 day working week here (tough gig)

The radiotherapy department is located on the ground floor of the hospital, morbidly located next to mortuary. I just need to make sure I head through the correct door in the mornings.

So far it has been interesting, it is difficult to understand some of the Doctors when they quiz me in "Englese" at the bed side. It seems the most common cancers in Manipal are: cervical, head/neck and breast. Unfortunately, this area does not have any real screening programs which is a shame as some cancers have a very long latency period and hence treatment can be employed early with an excellent prognosis. This is especially true with cervical cancer (what we do pap smears every 2 years for in Australia)

An old radiotherapy machine has been quarantined as it's radioactive cobalt source is still decaying (it halves in size every 5.26 years, so it could be there a while). This in itself isn't that interesting, but the US have put strict regulations on it, as it has the potential to be made into a "dirty bomb" Ummm, I'm pretty sure there are other scenarios around the world that have a greater potential for disaster rather than an old hospital machine being broken into!

The planning stage of the therapy reminds me of the view from a bomber lining things up with cross hairs. The machine is capable of produing 18 million volts of electricity and electrons are also used for superficial tumours.

I havn't included many photos as there are poor patients with disfigurements from large sometimes fungating tumours, some of which they can conceal with their bright saris. I have also seen many young people with parotid gland tumours causing them to have a crooked smile due to facial paralysis. One boy has to return 33 times for his radiation therapy, always in his school uniform 😞

The MBBS program here is generally for wealthy students. I spoke to one of them whose parents pay approx 30lax for his tuition. (10lax = 1 million Indian rupees, so that equates to about $AUD 58,300, not too cheap in one of the poorest countries in the world) It is possible to study for free through a government university but apparently competition is very high (understandably) with hundreds of thousands of students applying for literally a handful of places.

There was a cow grazing on the flowers in the front garden of my hotel when i got home..

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