Radiotherapy in Ukraine – Visiting Seminar
By Annet Nakkazi, Cancer Sciences PhD student and Science Communication Ambassador
In early May 2024, the Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC) hosted four visiting radiotherapy specialists from Ukraine. During their time in Manchester, they visited various facilities used in cancer care at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and MCRC, and attended seminars and multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings about cancer management in Greater Manchester.
At the end of their visit, the four radiotherapy specialists delivered a special seminar on how they continue to deliver radiotherapy treatment during the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has physically, psychologically, emotionally and economically affected patients, medics and their families.
Keynote talks
The seminar featured keynote talks from all four visitors, including:
- Liudmyla Bordiuh, who works at Dniprovsky Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary
- Serhii Mykhailiuk, who works at the Clinical Centre for Oncology, Hematology, Transplantation and Palliative Care of Cherkasy regional council
- Maryna Sokolovska, who works at LISOD – Hospital of Israeli Oncology
- Lesia Mytsak, who works at Precarpathian Clinical Oncology Center Ivano-Frankivsk
Each visitor shared their experience of delivering radiotherapy at their various cancer-care centres across Ukraine, the challenges they have faced during the war, and how they have coped with continuing to deliver radiotherapy to thousands of patients every year.
Ukrainian visitors Dr Lesia Mytsak, Dr Maryna Sokolovska, Dr Liudmila Bordiuh and Dr Serhii Mykhailiuk and members of the MCRC in the OCRB lecture theatre.
The major challenges faced during the war
One of the major challenges of the war has been in updating and installing medical equipment. It has been extremely difficult to service the old equipment or replace them at various cancer care centres across the country.
The intensity of work at the various cancer centres and hospital across Ukraine has also significantly increased. The invasion of Ukraine led to an increase in the number of people wounded in war, as well as backlogs due to postponements of many activities because of staff losses. About 20% of the hospital staff relocated and 15% of staff joined the Armed Forces in Ukraine. On top of this, many displaced patients lost their previous medical records which has led to increased workloads and fatigue on both patients, families and medics.
The constant power outages have often made it almost impossible to carry out any operations and makes communication in hospitals a challenge. Working during air raids and explosions left both medics and patients in an unstable emotional state causing fear, anxiety and panic attacks.
Hearing the experiences of the four visiting radiotherapy specialists was extremely emotional. However, I was also overcome with their resilience and determination to work through the challenges that the war posed to continue delivering radiotherapy treatments to thousands of patients in Ukraine every year.
Annet Nakkazi
Cancer Sciences PhD student and Science Communication Ambassador
Overcoming some of these challenges
Doctors, nurses, patients, the public and the Ukrainian government have had to work together to save lives, and here are some of the steps they have taken to cope with the disruption of their health care system:
- Healthcare providers communicated with patients through Facebook groups which helped in disseminating information into local communities
- Where possible, specialists delivered larger radiotherapy doses than usual to reduce the overall treatment time for patients
- The government opened new hospitals in the west of Ukraine so people can access medical services in a more stable environment
- Healthcare workers communicated with doctors in other regions of Ukraine and abroad to share medical knowledge and advice
- Doctors who had been displaced were relocated to other parts of the country to help attend to backlogs in medical procedures
Radiotherapy in Ukraine
In early May 2024, we hosted four visiting radiotherapy specialists from Ukraine who delivered a special seminar on how they continue to deliver radiotherapy treatment during the ongoing war. Watch this short video to hear some of their key takeaways from their visit to Manchester.
Closing thoughts
Hearing the experiences of the four visiting radiotherapy specialists was extremely emotional. The fear of the unknown, anxiety, stress and trauma that they and the people of Ukraine have gone through overwhelmed me.
However, I was also overcome with their resilience and determination to work through the challenges that the war posed to continue delivering radiotherapy treatments to thousands of patients in Ukraine every year.
