THE Health and Child Care ministry has taken delivery of a second batch of advanced treatment equipment as authorities move towards upgrading outdated cancer treatment infrastructure.
The latest consignment includes sophisticated radiotherapy machines known as Linear Accelerators (LINACs) designed to deliver highly precise radiation treatment to deep-seated cancers.
The advanced technology improves treatment accuracy while minimising damage to healthy surrounding tissue, enhancing patient outcomes and quality of care.
Health and Child Care minister, Douglas Mombeshora, said Zimbabwe is moving away from outdated systems to upgrading cancer treatment infrastructure and modern equipment capable of serving more patients effectively.
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“We have completed phase one and are now moving into phase two, which focuses on procuring diagnostic equipment to support early cancer detection,” he said.
He added that the government is already planning the next phase, which will see cancer treatment services expanded beyond major cities to ensure wider access for patients across the country.
“In the third phase, we are looking at creating other cancer treatment centres outside these metropolitan provinces. We are moving closer to provinces like Mashonaland West, Chinhoyi Hospital, Midlands Hospital and Masvingo,” he said.
Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, said the development demonstrates the positive impact of domestic resource mobilisation, particularly through the sugar content tax introduced on beverages.
“A couple of years ago, we proposed that a sugar content tax on beverages be introduced. It is introduced, and we are delighted to see the results of that tax. Out of the 30 million that we have used so far, we have managed to procure the first set of machines under this programme,” he said.
Ncube introduced a sugar tax at US$0.001 per gram of sugar to generate funds earmarked for cancer treatment through vital equipment, modern drugs, and strengthened infrastructure.
Zimbabwe's cancer treatment services are in dire state with hospitals struggling to cope with late-stage diagnoses and critical cancer equipment shortages leaving patients to die.
