US $25 million Ndola Cancer Treatment Center construction cheers Sylvia Tembo-Masebo

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Zambia Medical Association – (ZMA) President Chrispin Moyo (Far Left), Health Minister Ms. Sylvia Tembo-Masebo witnessing the signing of documents between Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary (PS) for Administration Professor Christopher Simoonga and AVIC International representative, Mr. Rigen Tie (Far Right). – Picture by DERRICK SINJELA Zambian Developmental Media Alliance (ZADEMA)

US $25 million Ndola Cancer Treatment Center construction cheers Sylvia Tembo-Masebo

…as AVIC International pledges to deliver project within 12 months

By DERRICK SINJELA

Health Minister Ms. Sylvia Tembo-Masebo is worried that Zambia confirms on an annual basis 13,800 new cancer cases.

Speaking in Lusaka on Wednesday, 17th May, 2023 before witnessing the signing of the contract to construct Ndola Cancer Treatment Center (NCTC) in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, granted to AVIC International, Ms. Tembo-Masebo explained that of 13,800 new cancer cases, 3,000 new cases are seen at the Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) which is the only fourth level, national referral specialised teaching hospital for cancer patients in Zambia.

Ms. Tembo-Masebo is pleased to report that of the estimated 3,000 new cases, 1,600 require specialised radiotherapy treatment of cancer using x-rays or similar forms of radiation.

“Currently, the CDH is the only hospital that offers comprehensive cancer treatment including radiotherapy in Zambia,” Ms. Tembo-Masebo noted after witnessing the signing of documents between Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary (PS) for Administration Professor Christopher Simoonga and AVIC International representative, Mr. Rigen Tie.

 

On his part, Mr Tie assured Government of readiness to construct a quality medical facility owing to it’s enviable forty (40) year infrastructure experience working in Zambia.

“I assure the Zambian government that AVIC International will do everything possible to complete the project in a stipulated period of 12 months and provide equipment,” said Mr. Tie.

And, Zambia Medical Association – (ZMA) President Chrispin Moyo is elated with the development and hopes the package will address the challenges faced by specialists in cancer.

Ms. Tembo-Masebo is glad that after 11 years, plans to decentralise radiotherapy to all provinces mooted in 2012 are finally coming to fruition in 2023.

Ms. Tembo-Masebo argued that limited fiscal space was cited as a hindrance by previous governments as having stood in the path toward decentralisation of radiotherapy countrywide.

Ms. Tembo-Masebo recollected that in 2022, this devolved provision of radiotherapy was revamped and 25 million US dollars allocated through the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) to co-finance the construction and equipping of Livingstone and Ndola treatment centres.

“The procurement processes of these two centres is now complete and the award for the Ndola treatment centre, which we will be witnessing today, is now ready for signing.
For your information we have old obsolete machine for radiotherapy and imaging at our current Cancer Diseases Hospital. This government has made budgetary provisions to replace all these obsolete machines.
This process will commence very soon. The Ministry of Health will ensure that as these machines are being replaced at Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) in Lusaka and the new centre is being constructed in Ndola, provisions are in place to ensure that treatment interruptions with radiotherapy are minimised,” said Ms. Tembo-Masebo.

On drug availability, Ms. Tembo-Masebo says Zambia has made progress on procurement of medicines and medical supplies for the health posts, health centres and district hospitals that are called health centre kits.

These medicines and medical supplies in these kits contribute to 80% of the medicines required from health posts to district hospitals.

Further, Ms. Tembo-Masebo is delighted that a team from Ministry of Health (MoH) and ZAMMSA are in India conducting a pre-shipment inspection.

The Ministry through ZAMMSA has procured 42 000 Health Centre Kits which is a one year supply of Zambia’s national drug requirements.

“I am informed that on 2st June 2023, Zambia is expecting 50 Kits to arrive as a signal to commence the shipments. Another 7000 kits will arrive in June and after this the kits will be delivered every 2 months,” Ms. Tembo-Masebo noted.

Ms. Tembo-Masebo pegged the current status of essential medicines and medical supplies stand at forty-two point two percent (42.2%).

Ms. Tembo-Masebo explained that ZAMMSA has awarded contracts for essential medicines and medical supplies valued at K308 million to last for six (6) months, and deliveries will commence in May 2023.

Ms. Tembo-Masebo is equally pleased that ZAMMSA awarded contracts for a year-long supply of Anesthetics medicines, Cancer Medicines, Dental Commodities, Orthopedic Trauma and Maxillofacial commodities.

Meanwhile, Ms. Masebo says government is committed to improving and stabilizing provision and availability of essential medicines throughout the Zambia. Not

“We have over 70% availability of medicines and supplies at all levels of health care. ZAMMSA has initiated other bulk procurements to Egypt and through United Nations agencies such as UNICEF, UNDP and UNPFA and expecting shorter delivery lead times to address the critical shortages,” assured Ms. Tembo-Masebo.