In a significant development aimed at enhancing cancer treatment in Zambia, the Ministry of Health has secured funding and partnered with Siemens Healthineers to provide a comprehensive radiotherapy solution for the Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH).
During the official signing ceremony between the Ministry of Health and Siemens Healthineers, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo announced that the outdated equipment at the hospital would be replaced and disposed of in accordance with international standards, at a cost of USD 7,965,739.79. Additionally, repairs will be made to the existing building, and a new radiotherapy bunker will be constructed to house the new equipment.
The hospital is set to receive state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy services, including four linear accelerators, two brachytherapy units, two CT scan simulators, one MRI, and one mammography unit. The total cost of the equipment and services amounts to USD 15,409,448.00, with a 5-year service plan costing USD 7,439,039.52 commencing after the third year.
The overall project cost is USD 30,814,227.31, and the first linear accelerator is expected to be installed within six months. The project is slated to be completed within 18 months, with CDH aiming to become a regional leader in cancer detection and treatment post-upgrade.
Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo emphasized the critical need for the upgrade, highlighting the challenges faced by CDH in providing adequate radiotherapy services due to outdated equipment. She noted that while over 30,000 patients have benefited from services at CDH, a significant number of cancer patients are unable to access radiotherapy due to equipment failures.
To address this shortfall, the government has been sending eligible patients to India for treatment. However, with the new equipment and facilities, more cancer patients in Zambia will have access to high-quality healthcare services, leading to increased early diagnosis and treatment and improved survival rates.
Furthermore, efforts are underway to expand training in oncology to address staffing shortages at CDH. The government is also seeking funding for unfilled positions and plans to establish two new cancer hospitals in Ndola and Livingstone to enhance service delivery.
Ms Masebo reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring quality healthcare for all citizens, emphasizing the significant impact expected from the upgrade of CDH. She underscored the importance of decentralizing cancer services to improve access and care quality, focusing on various types of cancer prevalent in Zambia.
What happened to the funds already allocated to this project during the PF government? Masebo halted this project and started looking for her relative to award the contract, now she is telling has she has sourced money for a project that had money already allocated.
The biggest problem we have as a nation is that important decisions are made by politicians who have an interest in everything because they’re also traders. Siemens isn’t new to Zambia. They’ve a dealer who installed and was servicing the equipment that’s been declared redundant. Most of that equipment is still viable and can be repaired at a reduced cost. The equipment won’t be disposed but will be rehabilitated and sold elsewhere, so why spend so much money on disposal? Auction it and you’ll see how many people will be interested to buy it. Just because ABC owned the company that has the dealership isn’t a justification to cause the nation to lose all that money because of the UPND paranoia
Moderated? Time to take a longer break
Clowns at it again. The best defence for cancer is to revert back to our traditions especially when it comes to food. More than half of these illnesses on the African continent were introduced by Europeans and they are now trying to turn us in to a lucrative business. We should be in a position to make our own decisions without relaying on donors. Donors are just as bad as lenders. There is always a catch.
It seems there’s no middleman involved in the transaction. The Government has chosen to deal with Siemens itself, a leading manufacturer of medical equipment in the world. It’s exactly as it should be. The PF had a funny contract of buying Toyota motor vehicles for the Judiciary through a Kabwata-based carwash instead of dealing with Toyota’s trading arm directly. It was always a phoney.