AN opposition legislator has called on the government to invest in cancer programmes and modern cancer treatment equipment at Mpilo Central and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
Proportional representation MP Thokozani Khupe (Citizens Coalition for Change) said in a motion that first world countries had made great strides in the field of oncology, resulting in their advanced treatment of cancers even at Stage 4.
“I request the government to immediately start and intensify cancer awareness programmes in collaboration with other organisations and foundations like the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation in all the 35 000 villages in Zimbabwe and all towns so that citizens are made aware of the scourge of cancer,” she said.
“[I] Implore government to invest in state-of-the-art equipment for Mpilo and Parirenyatwa hospitals as a starting point and equip these two hospitals with modern computed tomography and positron emission tomography scans, radiation machines and all kinds of chemotherapies for all stages of cancer.”
Zimbabwe cancer patients have been facing challenges in accessing treatment due to critical shortage of radiotherapy and chemotherapy equipment.
Radiotherapy machines are used to treat at least 50% of all cancer cases.
Health experts say some types of cancer, like cervical cancer, are preventable and is treatable if diagnosed early.
However, some cancer patients have been forced to go outside the country for treatment due to limited local medical resources and lack of specialised treatment options.
A parliamentary portfolio committee recently heard that cancer machines at Mpilo Central Hospital stopped functioning in 2021, leaving patients stranded.
According to the Health and Child Care ministry, cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality with over 5 000 new cases diagnosed and over 1 500 deaths recorded per year.
Current estimates indicate that every year, 3 043 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than half die from the disease.
