Bali Health Agency head Ketut Suarjaya explained that the plan would alleviate the burden on state-owned Sanglah Hospital where most cancer patients in Bali are treated.

"The queues at Sanglah are incredibly long. The [patients’] illness could worsen or even kill them before they even get their turn," Ketut Suarjaya said on Tuesday.

The decision was especially important amid the rise in cancer cases, he argued. The 2018 Basic Health Study (Riskesdas) shows that the prevalence of cancer patients has increased from 1.4 per 1,000 residents in 2013 to 1.79 per 1,000 residents in 2018.

Among the various forms of cancer, Ketut pointed out that cervical and breast cancer were the most prevalent. He expressed hope the new center would encourage Indonesians and foreigners alike to seek treatment in Indonesia instead of going abroad.

However, the center still lacked the necessary equipment and staff, Bali Mandara Hospital director Gede Bagus Darmayasa told reporters on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, he had already acquired funds from the regional budget for the project and permission from the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency to provide radioactive therapies that are used to treat cancer. The hospital’s officials were also present at the talk with the agency on Tuesday to discuss appropriate medical equipment.

While Darmayasa has yet to divulge the date for the building’s groundbreaking, he expressed optimism the center would be up and running by early 2020. Overall, Gede estimated that the construction costs would be around Rp 54 billion (US$3.8 million).

“We want to make Bali a hub for cancer-related treatments in Indonesia’s eastern provinces so that people don’t have to go to Bandung in West Java or Jakarta to be cured,” Gede said. (swd)

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