THERE is a need for trained professionals to mix chemotherapy drugs at the Lautoka Hospital.
This was revealed at the MIOT International Cancer Conference in Nadi last night.
Speaking at the event, Lautoka Hospital nursing unit manager Ana Raramasi said Lautoka hospital was without a proper pharmacist to mix the drugs needed by cancer patients.
“We assist doctors in the administration and the reconstitution of chemo drugs and monitoring side effects,” Ms Raramasi said.
“At the Lautoka Hospital, we don’t have oncology pharmacists to mix the medications.
“CWM has pharmacists who mix medication in their safety cabinets whereas in Lautoka, the doctors, they mix the chemo medications.
“Medications are initially administered by the registrar’s for the first dose and the continuing doses are given by the intern doctors.
“For paediatric chemotherapy, these are only given by the registrars.”
