Why Nuclear Medicine Matters for Ghana’s Healthcare Future

Every year, more than 27,000 Ghanaians are diagnosed with cancer, while nearly 18,000 lose their lives to it. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, while prostate cancer is a leading concern for men. As life expectancy increases and populations age, healthcare professionals expect the number of cancer cases to continue rising in the years ahead.

Like many countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana faces significant challenges in providing timely access to cancer diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare professionals have repeatedly highlighted shortages of specialised facilities, diagnostic equipment, and trained personnel.

Experts have pointed to the limited number of radiotherapy facilities available to serve a population of approximately 35 million people. The result is additional pressure on existing hospitals and longer waiting times for patients requiring specialised treatment.

Cancer care is not simply about treating disease after symptoms appear. The earlier it is detected, the greater the likelihood of successful treatment. One of the most significant challenges facing cancer care in Ghana is access to advanced diagnostic imaging.

While conventional technologies such as CT and MRI scanners provide valuable information, some forms of cancer require more sophisticated tools capable of detecting disease at earlier stages. Among the most important of these technologies is Positron Emission Tomography combined with Computed Tomography, commonly known as PET-CT.

Despite its importance in modern oncology, Ghana still does not have a fully operational PET-CT scanner. Healthcare professionals have repeatedly raised concerns about this gap, noting that patients who can afford it often travel abroad to countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, or India to undergo PET imaging. For many others, however, travelling overseas is simply not an option.

The absence of PET-CT technology highlights a broader challenge facing many developing healthcare systems: advanced equipment alone is not sufficient. Countries also require trained nuclear medicine specialists, medical physicists, radiologists, and technologists capable of operating and interpreting increasingly sophisticated diagnostic systems.

To address these challenges, Ghana has begun investing in new cancer treatment infrastructure.

One of the most ambitious projects currently underway is the construction of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Excellence near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region. The facility, valued at approximately $100 million, is expected to become the country's first comprehensive cancer centre, bringing together prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, research, and education under a single institution.

When completed, the centre is expected to include advanced radiotherapy facilities, clinical services, research capabilities, training programmes, and technology-driven healthcare initiatives. Support for the project has come from both Ghanaian and international partners, reflecting growing recognition that cancer has become a major public health challenge requiring coordinated action.

As countries seek to improve cancer outcomes, nuclear medicine is playing an increasingly important role in both diagnosis and treatment. It uses small amounts of radioactive materials, known as medical isotopes, to diagnose diseases, monitor treatment progress, and in some cases directly treat cancer.

Nuclear medicine has transformed oncology in recent decades. PET imaging, for example, relies on radioactive tracers that allow physicians to identify cancer cells and monitor how disease spreads throughout the body. Other medical isotopes are used to target and destroy cancerous tissue while minimising damage to surrounding healthy cells.

The growth of nuclear medicine depends on reliable access to medical isotopes and specialised expertise. Because many medical isotopes have short half-lives, they must be produced, transported, and delivered through highly coordinated international supply chains.

A number of organisations around the world contribute to this effort, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, national research institutions, healthcare providers, and major nuclear technology companies.

Among the global suppliers active in this field is Russia’s Rosatom, which has developed a broad portfolio of nuclear medicine activities ranging from isotope production and radiopharmaceutical development to medical equipment and healthcare infrastructure projects. The company is among the world’s largest suppliers of medical isotopes, which are used in millions of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures each year.

As demand for cancer diagnosis and treatment continues to increase worldwide, international cooperation in isotope production and nuclear medicine infrastructure is expected to become increasingly important, particularly in regions where healthcare systems are expanding rapidly.

The expansion of screening programmes, the construction of new cancer treatment facilities, and growing interest in nuclear medicine demonstrate a clear commitment to improving patient outcomes. Ghana has the potential not only to strengthen its own healthcare system but also to become an increasingly important centre for regional advanced cancer care in West Africa. Achieving that goal will require continued investment in infrastructure, equipment, specialist training, and access to modern diagnostic technologies and international cooperation.

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