President Hakainde Hichilema has commissioned the refurbished radiotherapy and imaging section at Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka, restoring specialised cancer treatment services that had been suspended for six years.

The US$31 million facility, fully funded by the Zambian Government, makes Zambia one of only three African countries with advanced dedicated cancer care capacity, alongside South Africa and Egypt.

Hichilema described the commissioning as a prayer answered for hundreds of cancer patients across the country. “All of you cancer patients out there, your prayers have been answered. I am talking about over 800 cancer patients who have been waiting in the queue to go for treatment in India and other countries,” he said.

The radiotherapy and imaging services were suspended in 2020 to allow for the transformation of the hospital into what the President described as a world-class cancer treatment centre. The reopening was achieved without external funding.

The first patient to receive treatment at the upgraded facility was Maureya Zimba, 62, a cervical cancer patient whose testimony visibly moved the President.

“How satisfying it is to hear Madam Maureya Zimba, a 62-year-old cervical cancer patient, being the first patient to undergo treatment here. Her treatment was more than a medical procedure; it is a mark of hope for many cancer patients among the 21 million Zambians,” Hichilema said.

Zimba expressed gratitude to the President and urged him to continue the development agenda his administration has pursued.

Hichilema announced that the Ndola Cancer Treatment Centre, now 85 percent complete, will be commissioned before the end of the year. He also directed Ministry of Health permanent secretary for technical services Kennedy Lishimpi to expedite construction of the Livingstone Cancer Centre, which will serve the southern and western parts of the country.

The President further revealed plans are under way to build a medical city near Kenneth Kaunda International Airport to promote health tourism.

He disclosed that his administration had cleared a legacy debt owed to Indian hospitals for the treatment of Zambian cancer patients, debt that had accumulated under the previous government.

“We had to clear it because Indian hospitals started refusing to treat cancer patients, so we cleared it and said bye, bye,” he said.

Hichilema cautioned health workers against spending excessive time on their mobile phones while on duty, saying the facility’s network access would be restricted except for digital consultation purposes.

“I do not expect phones here. The system should ensure that everyone who works here does not come in with a phone. We will even obliterate the network here unless you want to deal with digital consultations,” he said.

Secretary to Cabinet Patrick Kangwa, speaking through remarks read on his behalf by Presidential Delivery Unit head Kusobile Kamwambi, said the President’s priority directive was to ensure quality healthcare, resulting in an 80 percent availability of medicines in health facilities across the country.

Kangwa said the expansion of digital hospitals, recruitment of health workers and construction of maternity annexes stand as evidence of the President’s commitment to improving healthcare.

German Ambassador to Zambia Sonke Siemon welcomed the selection of a German company to undertake the refurbishment of the centre, saying Germany remains committed to partnering with Zambia to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.

Lishimpi said in his opening remarks that the hospital had accumulated a backlog of 1,600 patients following the suspension of radiotherapy services in 2020.

Siemens Healthineers Southern Africa chief executive officer Ayanda Swana said the newly installed equipment has the capacity to treat up to 3,000 patients annually.

Cancer Diseases Hospital senior medical superintendent Dr Susan Msadabwe said the reopening of the radiotherapy unit would significantly improve access to treatment, allowing more patients to receive specialised cancer care within the country.

The hospital has also installed a new CT simulator to enhance the precision of radiotherapy planning, with a second CT simulator already being installed to expand capacity further. Chief radiation therapist Dr Ncheebe Sidaza said the simulator serves as the initial stage of treatment planning, allowing clinicians to map tumours accurately before patients begin therapy on the hospital’s linear accelerators

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