Dateline PhiliPPines

PH has only 300 oncologists for cancer patients – expert

MANILA — The number of oncologists that can attend to the needs of cancer patients nationwide is only 300, according to a cancer expert.

“We are about 100-plus million Filipinos and the number of oncologists around the Philippines is only 300 and, admittedly, majority are here in Metro Manila,” University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital Medical Oncology fellow Dr. Kenneth Samala said at the Kapihan ng Samahang Plaridel media forum held last Monday, February 27.

Samala stressed the need to develop more cancer experts and “get trainees who, after being trained, can go back to their communities and serve.”

“Actually, there are local government units and municipalities that are OK with this and send their scholars (to our institution). We train them and they go back to their communities after that,” he said, as he noted that treating cancer is multifactorial.

“You need manpower. You need oncologists, nurses, surgeons. You need equipment to be used for diagnosis. Of course, you need medicines, so it is