NGOCC COMMENDS GOVERNMENT FOR RECOMMISSIONING THE CANCER DISEASES HOSPITAL RADIOTHERAPY AND IMAGING SECTION

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations' Coordinating Council (NGOCC) commends the Zambian Government, and President Hakainde Hichilema in particular, for recommissioning the refurbished state-of-the-art Radiotherapy and Imaging Section of the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka. The facility had remained closed for over five years, creating significant challenges for patients requiring specialised cancer care.

For half a decade, Zambian families carried the weight of a broken system. Patients had to be referred abroad at enormous public and personal cost, others endured prolonged waiting periods, while many were unable to access life-saving treatment altogether. The reopening of this section, with capacity to serve up to sixty patients a day, represents a significant turning point not only in restoring critical infrastructure, but also in rebuilding public confidence that citizens can access specialised healthcare within their own country.

For NGOCC, this development is particularly significant for women, who account for over 60 percent of cancer patients. Cervical and breast cancers continue to claim the lives of many Zambian women, with those most affected often being women least able to afford travel, extended separation from their families, or treatment outside the country.

A functional local radiotherapy and imaging service therefore represents more than medical intervention; it removes a major economic and social barrier between women and access to timely, quality healthcare. That the first patient treated on the restored equipment was a woman battling cervical cancer speaks directly to the human impact of this milestone.

Beyond addressing domestic healthcare needs, NGOCC recognises the strategic significance of these investments in positioning Zambia as an emerging centre for specialised healthcare and medical tourism within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and the African continent. For many years, patients from across Africa have travelled outside the continent in search of advanced medical services. Strengthening Zambia’s specialised health infrastructure, including cancer treatment services and investments such as the National Heart Hospital, provides an opportunity for the country to build a reputation as a regional healthcare hub, attracting patients from neighbouring countries while improving access to advanced treatment closer to home.

However, this vision will only be realised if these investments are matched with sustained commitments to quality healthcare delivery. This includes ensuring adequate staffing, continuous maintenance of specialised equipment, affordable treatment pathways, strong referral systems and equitable access for rural and vulnerable populations.

This achievement should also be viewed alongside other important healthcare investments, including new cancer treatment infrastructure taking shape in Ndola and Livingstone, as well as ongoing efforts to improve the availability of medicines and medical supplies through the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA). Collectively, these interventions begin to respond to concerns NGOCC has consistently raised, including during engagements on the 2025 and 2026 National Budgets, regarding the need for stronger investments in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

NGOCC therefore calls on Government to sustain this momentum by ensuring that these facilities are fully operational, adequately staffed, affordable and accessible to all citizens, particularly low-income and rural women. We further urge continued investment in preventive healthcare, including expanded cervical and breast cancer screening services across all provinces.

A health system is only as strong as its ability to reach those who need it most. As Zambia moves towards becoming a regional healthcare destination, no woman, regardless of her location or economic status, should be left behind in accessing quality and timely healthcare.

ISSUED

For/NGOCC

Ms. Beauty Katebe

NGOCC BOARD CHAIRPERSON