The Ministry of Health and Child care is in urgent need of ZWL$2 million dollars to service eight radio therapy machines at the country’s cancer treatment centres, Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Mpilo hospital.

As the country commemorates the breast cancer month, servicing of the eight radio therapy machines at the Parirenyatwa group of hospitals and Mpilo hospital remain key.

Director family health in the ministry of health and child care, Dr Bernard Madzima says  two million dollars is required to ensure the radio therapy machines which are currently lying idle are serviced.

“We have eight machines at our two centers but all these machines requires two million dollars for them to be serviced for the next five years. This is an urgent appeal as our public hospitals are not able to offer radio therapy,” said Dr Madzima.

While chemotherapy is used as an option, specialists say radio therapy is the best sustainable solution for treating cancer patients. Zimbabwe has managed to attract sponsors for cancer screening but more efforts are now needed to ensure those diagnosed get treatment and the necessary support.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality with over 5,000 new diagnosis and over 1,500 deaths per year. The incidence of cervical cancer in Zimbabwe is reported to be 35 per 100,000 women compared to the global average of 152.