Zimbabwe spends US$28m on cancer machines

Published: 2 hours ago

The Zimbabwean government has allocated US$27.5 million for the procurement of state-of-the-art cancer diagnostic and treatment machines for Parirenyatwa and Mpilo Hospitals, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora announced in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Dr Mombeshora made the disclosure while responding to questions on the utilisation of funds collected through the sugar tax introduced last year. He said tenders for the two hospitals have been awarded to suppliers, with signed contracts in place.

"We submitted the necessary documents to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion for them to pay the 30 percent deposit as per the agreement. The suppliers indicated that these are costly machines," Dr Mombeshora said.

The Minister added that the machines are expected to be manufactured and installed within 36 weeks, with a projected installation by December 2025.

In addition to these facilities, Dr Mombeshora revealed that the Ministry is entering the second phase of equipment procurement for provincial hospitals. This phase will include CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRI scanners, with tenders expected to be ready within two months.

Dr Mombeshora also highlighted the acquisition of eight mobile medical vans, which will be deployed across the provinces to provide free cancer screenings. "These vans will test both men and women, starting with prostate cancer. Cervical cancer predominantly affects women, so we have vehicles that will be testing both genders," he said.

The Minister emphasised that the initiative aims to gradually expand access to early cancer detection, with a long-term goal of ensuring that everyone in Zimbabwe can be tested for free.

This investment underscores the government's commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure and enhancing early cancer diagnosis and treatment across the country.
- the herald

Tags: Cancer,