Story by Memory Chamisa
THE Government is decentralising cancer treatment services to major referral hospitals across the country in a move aimed at reducing reliance on facilities in Harare and Bulawayo.
Responding to questions during last week’s Senate sitting on the status of cancer treatment centres and equipment procured through the sugar tax, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Honourable Sleiman Kwidini, said Government has received the first batch of specialised radiotherapy machines.
The equipment is earmarked for Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital, with installation currently underway.
“The Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, has procured four cancer treatment machines to ensure that life-saving radiotherapy is accessible to all. Two of these advanced machines have already arrived in the country, one designated for Mpilo Central Hospital and the other for Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Renovations of radiation bunkers at both institutions are at an advanced stage to accommodate the new technology. This is part of a broader drive to modernise the health delivery system and decentralise specialised services under the National Development Strategy 2,” he said.
The Deputy Minister added that older machines from referral hospitals will be decommissioned and redeployed to provincial health facilities, including Gweru Provincial Hospital and Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, to establish additional radiotherapy centres.
“As the new equipment is commissioned, older machines will be redeployed to provincial facilities to create a third radiotherapy hub. Work has already begun at Gweru Provincial Hospital to install the equipment. This initiative is part of a broader investment of approximately US$30 million in Zimbabwe’s cancer treatment infrastructure,” he added.
The expansion of public radiotherapy services is expected to ease pressure on existing facilities and improve access to affordable treatment for thousands of Zimbabweans living with cancer.
