Fri, 29 Sep 2017 12:31:44 +0000
By KALOBWE BWALYA
GOVERNMENT is in the process of constructing cancer hospitals across the country with financial support from the Organization of the Arabs Bank for Economic development in Africa (OABCDA).
Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya told parliament yesterday that the establishment of the cancer hospitals would be implemented in phases with Mpika and Kitwe as first districts to benefit from the programme.
Dr Chilufya said government will establish cancer hospitals and radiotherapy centres in all the ten provinces in a phased manner to meet the demand for services.
The minister said this during questions for oral answer, when Independent Nangoma Member of Parliament Boyd Hamusonde wanted to find out from the minister, whether government had any plans to establish cancer hospitals countrywide, and if so where the hospitals would be located.
In response, Dr Chilufya said, according to the cancer hospitals phase three projects, government through the ministry of Health, radiotherapy centres were expected to be established in, Kitwe, Solwezi, Mongu, Livingstone, Kabwe, Chipata, Mpika and Mansa, while Lusaka was already functional.
He explained that the Zambia national cancer control programme was aimed at screening, early detection for cancer, hence it would focus more on preventing cancer than treatment.
“Mr Speaker, yes we are preparing to construct two sites one in Mpika and the other one in Kitwe , but our screening programmes will continue in all clinic across the country such as screening for breast cancer, cervical as well as prostate cancers, “said Dr Chilufya.
Dr Chilufya said that cervical cancer among the women was at 30 percent, breast cancer 5 percent and prostate cancer at 5percent, and appealed to men to screen for prostate for an early detection.
He said in ensuring that the cancer hospitals in Lusaka were decongested, government will ensure that more centres were constructed.
“Therefore the Kitwe centre will canter for North Western, Copperbelt and Luapula provinces, while, Mpika will take care of Muchinga, Northern and part of Central Province and Lusaka will cater Southern and part of Central Province,
“We are actually on top of things to ensure cancer hospitals are made available in all provinces,” he said.
