The National Cancer Institute (Instituto Oncológico Nacional) has opened new treatment services at the City of Health (Ciudad de la Salud) complex in Panama City, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to strengthen public cancer care. Among the new offerings is a high-dose-rate brachytherapy unit, a specialized form of internal radiation therapy used to treat certain cancers with greater precision.
What Happened
According to a report by Telemetro, the new services opened at the City of Health campus are designed to serve patients of the National Cancer Institute, Panama’s leading public institution for cancer treatment. The expansion includes a high-dose-rate brachytherapy room, which allows radiation to be delivered directly inside or next to a tumor, concentrating the dose where it is needed while reducing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
The move to the City of Health complex reflects an ongoing relocation and modernization of specialized medical services in Panama. Patients who previously received certain treatments at the Oncológico’s main facilities will now be able to access these services in a newer, purpose-built environment.
Background
The National Cancer Institute, known locally as el Oncológico, is the primary public provider of cancer diagnosis and treatment in Panama. It serves patients referred from across the country’s public health system, including those who cannot afford private care. Demand for oncology services has long strained the institution, and expanding capacity at the City of Health complex has been part of national plans to modernize hospital infrastructure.
Brachytherapy is a well-established radiation technique used for cancers such as cervical, prostate, and other tumors where placing a radiation source close to the tumor is clinically advantageous. High-dose-rate brachytherapy delivers radiation in short, powerful sessions, often allowing patients to complete treatment faster than with traditional approaches.
What This Means for Panama
For cancer patients in the public system, the opening of the brachytherapy unit at City of Health means access to modern radiotherapy technology in updated facilities, potentially reducing wait times and improving treatment comfort and precision. It also signals progress in the gradual transfer of specialized services to the City of Health complex, one of the largest public health infrastructure projects in Panama.
Patients of the Oncológico should stay informed through official health ministry and institute channels about where specific treatments will be provided as services transition to the new campus. The expansion underscores the government’s stated commitment to strengthening cancer care, and observers will be watching whether additional oncology services and equipment follow at City of Health.
This story was originally reported by Telemetro.