LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)– The much awaited cancer centre, which is likely to reduce Malawi government’s external travel and medical bills, opens its doors on September 23, 2018, it has been learnt.
The Centre, which will be the first of its kind, is expected to save about MK1 billion that the Ministry of Health (MoH) spends on patients, particularly on radiotherapy. In the last, government has had to send cancer patients outside the country such as India and South Africa.
Under Cancer Consortium with financial and technical support from University of North Carolina (UNC), the facility located behind Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCH) in Lilongwe, will be a center of research, training and medical treatment.
MoH’s Principal Secretary (PS), Dan Namarika told the 2rd Malawi Cancer Consortium conference on Monday in Lilongwe that construction work on the site was on course towards the September 23, 2018 target.
Namarika pointed out that Government loses a lot of money in forex as it sends cancer patients for further medical treatment in India.
The PS said despite referral health facilities providing treatment for cancer patients such as chemotherapy, and surgery, radiotherapy was not available in Malawi.
He further disclosed that about 200 cancer patients, are sent abroad for radiotherapy treatment, but he said that when the center opens, Government will save a lot of public funds as the treatment is to be performed locally.
“Government is committed that come September 23, 2018, the cancer center will be opened in Malawi, which will save many lives and public funds. The facility will be a centre of excellence on cancer training, research and medical treatment,” assured Namarika.
Satish Gopal, UNC Cancer Program Director, expressed gratitude over the facility’s work progress; he too said many lives will be saved.
Gopal while appreciating the progress Malawi is making to contain the disease, he quickly observed that rapid population growth was hampering access to health services the organization is providing.
“The opening of the cancer center will be part of UNC Project alongside with its partners’ five years plan that runs 2016-2010 to contain the disease. But we are worried with the continued spread of HIV and AIDS that catalyze cancer. Even the country’s population growth is of great concern when it comes to arresting the disease,” Gopal pointed out.