By Francis Chipalo President Hakainde Hichilema on Saturday commissioned a US$31 million refurbished radiotherapy and imaging unit at the Cancer Diseases Hospital at the University Teaching Hospital, a move government says will end Zambia’s reliance on sending patients abroad for cancer treatment. The new facility has the capacity to treat 60 patients daily and makes […]

By Francis Chipalo

President Hakainde Hichilema on Saturday commissioned a US$31 million refurbished radiotherapy and imaging unit at the Cancer Diseases Hospital at the University Teaching Hospital, a move government says will end Zambia’s reliance on sending patients abroad for cancer treatment.

The new facility has the capacity to treat 60 patients daily and makes Zambia the third country in Africa, after South Africa and Egypt, to install technology of this calibre.

For years, Zambians diagnosed with cancer had to travel outside the country for specialized care.

According to Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi, government has sent over 600 patients abroad for cancer treatment at a cost of millions of dollars.

“That is money that went to foreign hospitals instead of our own,” Dr. Lishimpi said.

According to State House Chief Communications Strategist, Whitney Mulobela, the President said the commissioning reverses that trend.

“This is a most welcome development. We are bringing the cure home,” President Hichilema stated.

Mulobela further said the Head of State disclosed that the project was financed entirely from local resources, without external borrowing.

He said the investment reflects government’s commitment to strengthening health infrastructure and making specialized treatment accessible and affordable to citizens.

President Hichilema said Zambia was not merely catching up with other nations, but positioning itself as a regional hub for cancer treatment.

To expand access, he revealed that cancer hospitals are under construction in Ndola and Livingstone. The facilities are expected to decentralize services and reduce the burden of travel for patients on the Copperbelt and in Southern Province.

Before Saturday, a cancer diagnosis often meant months away from family and huge financial costs.

With the new unit now operational, patients can access advanced radiotherapy and imaging services locally, cutting both costs and waiting times.

Government says the goal is to ensure that no Zambian has to leave the country to access life-saving cancer care.