Nearly 1,000 cancer patients at risk over CT Simulation delay

Colombo, June 27 (Daily Mirror) - The Health Professionals' Association has raised concerns over a serious crisis in radiotherapy services in Sri Lanka’s government health sector, warning that nearly 1,000 cancer patients are facing delays in essential treatment.

The association said the old CT Simulation machine used for radiotherapy planning stopped functioning on April 29, 2026. Although a new CT Simulation system was installed by May 21, it has remained unused due to a water leak from the roof of the building where the machine was installed.

While technical issues were resolved by June 1, the machine has still not been made available for patient treatment, according to the association.

CT Simulation is a crucial pre-treatment process for radiation therapy, helping doctors identify the cancer-affected area, determine radiation beam directions, plan treatment angles, calculate radiation doses and protect healthy tissues from unnecessary exposure.

The association said beginning radiotherapy without CT Simulation is practically impossible, causing delays at a critical stage of cancer treatment.

Although the PET-CT system is reportedly being used for emergency cases, it is not a long-term solution as it is not designed specifically for CT Simulation purposes.

The delay has resulted in patients who have already completed chemotherapy, surgery and other treatments being placed on waiting lists, increasing the risk of cancer recurrence due to postponed radiotherapy.

The association highlighted that radiotherapy facilities are available only at a limited number of centres, including Maharagama, Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Batticaloa and Jaffna, meaning delays at one centre can affect patients islandwide.

Health Professionals' Association President Ravi Kumudesh urged authorities to immediately activate the CT Simulation machine, prioritise patient needs over administrative delays, and implement a national emergency plan for cancer treatment.

“For cancer patients, time is not just another resource, it is life itself,” he said.