Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Health Buzz
When thousands of Zimbabweans take to the streets on November 7, for the annual Zimpapers Cancer Power Walk, the significance of their footsteps will extend far beyond raising awareness about a disease that continues to claim thousands of lives.
Behind every participant will be a story of survival, loss, resilience or a family struggling to navigate the difficult journey of cancer diagnosis and treatment. For some, the walk will be an expression of solidarity with survivors, while for others it will be a reminder of loved ones whose lives have been changed or cut short by the disease.
But beyond the symbolism of unity, the event presents an opportunity to confront an often-overlooked dimension of cancer care in Zimbabwe. The limited availability of palliative care and the difficulties patients face in accessing support to manage pain, psychological distress and other complications associated with advanced illness.
As Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to improve cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, there is an equally important need to ensure that patients whose conditions are advanced, or who are no longer responding to curative treatment, are not left to endure unnecessary suffering.
This is where palliative care becomes critical.
The 2026 Zimpapers Cancer Power Walk, will be held simultaneously in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Gweru, Chinhoyi and Masvingo under the theme, “Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters.” Proceeds will support Island Hospice and Healthcare, an organisation that provides palliative and end-of-life care services.
The initiative is important because cancer is not simply a medical condition requiring treatment. It is a prolonged health and social challenge that can affect a patient’s ability to work, a family’s financial stability and the emotional well-being of entire households.
While public conversations often concentrate on screening, diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, the experience of patients living with advanced cancer exposes another side of the disease: the need for sustained care, dignity and relief from suffering.
The most common cancers among Zimbabweans include cervical, breast and prostate cancers, with cervical cancer remaining a particularly significant burden among women.
Although the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry recorded 7 841 new cases and 2 743 deaths in 2018, newer estimates point to a much larger burden. This demonstrates the magnitude of the challenge facing the country’s health system.
One of the biggest concerns is that many patients are still diagnosed when the disease has already advanced, reducing their chances of successful treatment.
In 2023, information from the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe indicated that approximately 80 percent of cancer patients were being diagnosed at stages three and four. Late presentation, the high cost of investigations, limited access to diagnostic services and delays in seeking medical attention were among the factors contributing to the situation. For patients diagnosed at advanced stages, the need for comprehensive care then becomes even more pressing.
Palliative care is often misunderstood as care reserved for people who are dying or for whom all treatment options have been exhausted. In reality, it is an essential component of cancer management that can be introduced early, alongside treatment, to help patients cope with pain, treatment-related side effects, anxiety, depression and other complications.
It also supports families who frequently become caregivers, often without adequate training, financial resources or psychological support.
According to the WHO, palliative care seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and their families by preventing and relieving suffering through the early identification, assessment and treatment of physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems. It is not about abandoning treatment but ensuring that patients receive appropriate care throughout their illness.
Despite Zimbabwe having a history of organised hospice care and a policy framework recognising the importance of palliative services, access remains a major challenge.
The country adopted its National Palliative Care Policy in 2014 and has since taken steps to integrate the service into the wider public health system. Palliative care is also recognised in the National Cancer Control Plan 2025–2030, which identifies pain management, psychosocial support, rehabilitation and survival as important components of comprehensive cancer care.
However, the national plan acknowledges the need to improve geographical access, strengthen the supply of essential medicines, train more service providers and develop integrated care teams. It also identifies a particularly concerning gap in specialised paediatric palliative care expertise.
The WHO estimates that 73.5 million people worldwide require palliative care every year, according to the 2026 third edition of the Global Atlas of Palliative Care. Yet specialised services reach only about 14 percent of those in need. In low- and middle-income countries, the proportion receiving specialised palliative care is estimated at just 4.4 percent.
This disparity is particularly worrying given Africa’s growing burden of cancer and other non-communicable diseases, alongside the limited availability of healthcare resources.
For Zimbabwe, closing the palliative care gap will require more than expanding the number of specialist centres.
It calls for integrating palliative care into primary healthcare so that patients can receive support closer to their communities, strengthening referral systems between oncology departments and hospice providers, and training more nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers in pain and symptom management.
There is also need for sustainable financing. While organisations such as Island Hospice and Healthcare and other members of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Zimbabwe (HOSPAZ) have helped expand services, relying heavily on non-governmental organisations and donor-funded programmes cannot provide a lasting solution to a growing national health need.
The national health budget must support palliative care through funding for essential medicines, specialised personnel, community-based services and home-care programmes.
Zimbabwe has already established some important foundations. Island Hospice reports that its palliative care integration programmes have supported training in more than 193 health facilities. The introduction of provisions allowing appropriately qualified registered nurses to prescribe morphine, alongside the inclusion of palliative care indicators in the national health information system, has also created opportunities for wider access.
These gains need to be consolidated and extended, particularly to underserved communities and children living with cancer.
It is against this background that the Zimpapers Cancer Power Walk takes on added significance. By bringing together participants in six cities, the event creates an opportunity to move cancer conversations beyond awareness campaigns and towards practical support for patients and their families.
Its partnership with Island Hospice and Healthcare is particularly important because it connects public participation to an organisation directly involved in providing palliative and end-of-life care.
However, the impact of the initiative should not end when participants cross the finish line.
The funds raised need to translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of patients who require pain relief, counselling, home-based care and support for their families. Equally, the conversations generated by the event should help challenge the misconception that palliative care is synonymous with giving up on life.
For those who recover, the journey may involve rehabilitation and long-term monitoring. For those undergoing treatment, it may mean managing difficult side effects while maintaining hope. And for those with advanced cancer, it should mean access to compassionate care that protects their dignity and relieves suffering.
Ultimately, Zimbabwe’s fight against cancer cannot be measured only by the number of people screened, diagnosed or treated. It must also be measured by how well the health system supports those who live with the disease, including patients who cannot be cured.
Every step taken during the Cancer Power Walk should, therefore, represent a commitment to building a system in which no cancer patient is denied relief, dignity or compassionate support simply because of where they live or their financial circumstances.
The real victory will be when solidarity on the streets translates into better care at hospitals, clinics and in patients’ homes.
Feedback: [email protected]
