By STAFF REPORTER
THE ministry of health is finalizing a process to construct four ultra-modern health facilities for the rolling out of cancer treatment through radiotherapy, being in concerned efforts to improve the scope and quality in treatment of the dangerous diseases in the country.
The meaningful development in the country’s cancer treatment corridor was unveiled today morning, Friday, 5th April, 2024, in the ongoing Parliament sessions by the minister of health, Ummy Mwalimu.
According to her, the envisaged facilities will be constructed at the Dodoma-based Benjamin Mkapa Hospital (BMH), Aga Khan Hospital, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC), Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, saying Zanzibar will also be equipped with one modern cancer center.
“The project will incorporate construction of the facility’s structures as well as installation of cloud-connected medical equipment to ensure high-tech radiotherapy cancer treatments,” she said.
She was responding to a key question filed by MP Tunza Issa Malapo (Special Seats -CHADEMA) who wanted to know plans by the government to heighten cancer treatment services in the country.
Reacting to the question, minister Mwalimu informed that Tanzania currently has only three health facilities that provide cancer treatment through use of radiotherapy, which is a low number in comparison to the increased number of the cancer patients in the country.
The three hospitals that are currently offering cancer treatments through radiotherapy include the Dar es Salaam-based Ocean Road Cancer Institute (OCI), Bugando Medical Center (Mwanza) and the Ifakara-based Good Samaritan Cancer Hospital in Morogoro.
“Relevant statistics depicts that the country is annually experiencing at least 40,000 new patients of the disease, whereby out of the number over 70 percent of the patients are attending to the various health facilities for treatment while already at critical conditions,” she told the Parliament.
And the minister added that, only between 28 and 30 percent of the cancer victims in the country are managing to seek proper treatments at the proper time.
“Cancer cases are treatable, but only if the patient seeks for treatment at proper time and that’s why the government is currently working to improve availability of cancer treatments services, but also to raise awareness towards the public over the importance of attending to hospitals at proper time when contacting the disease,” she detailed.
With cervical cancer being the leading kind of cancer across the country, minister Mwalimu said the parent ministry had already championed a useful strategy to help counter further spread of the dangerous kind of cancer.
“The ministry is currently rolling out special vaccinations meant to prevent girls across the country from getting cervical cancer, the vaccination is safe and very useful as it has nothing negative to affect the users health, especially ability to carry pregnancies,” minister Mwalimu observed.
Together with the vaccination, the minister spoke over plans by the ministry to carry out a countrywide awareness creation campaign with an eye to further educate the public over the disease.
In more efforts against the disease, the minister said the government, through the health ministry, has directed all Regional and District Medical Officers (RMOs and DMOs) to set aside at least one day in a month for free cancer screening.
“The government will continue cooperating with the office of the Chief Government Chemist, and the potential health stakeholders from the private sectors, as well as international development partners to fight against importation and consumption of pesticides and other negative chemicals that are causing cancer cases,” the Minister informed.
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