LUSAKA – The Non-governmental Gender Organisations' Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has welcomed President Hakainde Hichilema's recommissioning of the refurbished Radiotherapy and Imaging Section at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka, describing it as a major milestone in improving access to cancer treatment.
NGOCC Board Chairperson Beauty Katebe said the facility's reopening comes after more than five years of closure, during which many cancer patients experienced lengthy treatment delays, costly referrals abroad or were unable to access life-saving care.
Ms. Katebe said the restored unit can now treat up to 60 patients per day, improving access to specialised cancer treatment while reducing the financial burden on patients and their families.
She noted that the development is particularly significant for women, who account for more than 60 percent of cancer patients in Zambia, with cervical and breast cancers remaining among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths.
Ms. Katebe added that the first patient treated using the restored equipment was a woman battling cervical cancer, describing it as a clear demonstration of the immediate impact of the investment.
She also said the upgraded facility strengthens Zambia's ambition of becoming a regional hub for specialised healthcare and medical tourism within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
However, NGOCC urged Government to sustain the investment by ensuring adequate staffing, routine maintenance of specialised equipment, affordable treatment and improved referral systems.
The organisation further called for expanded cervical and breast cancer screening services across the country, stating that no woman should be denied timely and quality healthcare because of where she lives or her economic circumstances.
The remarks follow President Hichilema's commissioning of US$31 million worth of advanced cancer treatment equipment at the Cancer Diseases Hospital. The President said the project was fully financed using local resources and positions Zambia as the third African country, after South Africa and Egypt, to install the advanced cancer treatment technology.
He also announced that Government is constructing additional Cancer Diseases Hospitals in Ndola and Livingstone, while developing a Medical Tourism City near Kenneth Kaunda International Airport to expand access to specialised healthcare services.
Source:
ZNBC Today
By:
Arnold Tutu