Cancer Hospital treats more than 17,000 cases

By KALOBWE BWALYA MORE than 17,000 cancer cases have been diagnosed and treated at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka since it was established 10 years ago, chief medical physicist Mulape Kanduza, has disclosed

Ms Kanduza said the performance by Zambia in diagnosing and treating cancers had raised hope for Zambia’s fight against the menacing disease

In a statement, Ms Kanduza said the first and only cancer treatment centre offering radiation therapy in Zambia, has scored numerous successes in the use of nuclear technology to diagnose or treat cancer.

She explained that before the cancer hospital opened, patients spent a lot of money travelling to other countries such as South Africa and India for treatment.

She said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) played a key role in the establishment of the hospital, training of medical professionals, as well as establishment of radiation protection measures for both patients and staff.

Ms Kanduza noted that, since the hospital opened, it has seen a surge in the number of cancer cases being diagnosed, the majority being women, adding that despite some limitations, the hospital was succeeding in the fight against cancer.

She said the most common type of cancer was cervical followed closely by prostate cancer and other types such as Kaposi’s sarcoma.

“Now people in Zambia can access treatment locally for a fraction of the cost they would pay by travelling outside the country. More than 17,000 new cases of cancer have been diagnosed and treated over the last 10 years,

“Access to treatment is one gratifying aspect of the whole fight against cancer and access to radiotherapy means the Ministry of Health has provided a centre that can successfully treat patients and we are linked to all major provincial hospitals in the country who can refer patients directly to us,” said Ms Kanduza.

She explained that the hospital used radiation medicine as a vital component of cancer control.

It also used procedures such as X-rays, CT scans and mammograms for the early detection and diagnosis of cancer as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy for treatment.

Ms Kanduza clarified that radiation therapy, which is nuclear technology, has been proven over the last 100 years to provide effective diagnosis and cure for cancer, contrary to the general public regarding the use of radioactive substances as people believed was dangerous.

And Viktor Polikarpov, Rosatom regional vice president for Sub-Saharan Africa said, Rosatom focuses on the global advancement of nuclear medicine in cooperation with the leading manufacturers in the industry.

Mr Polikarpov said, they were creating the entire medical production complex, from isotopes manufacturing to providing medical care using high-tech equipment.