Cancer care comes closer home

Tendai Gukutikwa
Heath Reporter
THE decentralisation of cancer treatment and radiotherapy services to Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital (VCPH) is expected to significantly improve healthcare access for cancer patients in Manicaland.
This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Aspect Maunganidze, in a recent interview that two new cancer treatment centres will be established in Mutare and Gweru.
He said the process is being funded through the US$30,8 million collected from the sugar tax in 2024.
Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital medical superintendent, Dr Hillary Makiwa, on Wednesday said the move, which aligns with Government’s broader efforts to enhance specialised healthcare services in provinces, will reduce the burden of long-distance travelling for patients who previously sought cancer treatment in Harare or Bulawayo.
Cancer remains a major health challenge in Manicaland, with more than 500 patients referred from Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital to the two cities annually.
Dr Makiwa said that every week, the hospital refers between 10 and 20 cancer patients to Harare or Bulawayo for specialised treatment.
“Cancer remains a significant health challenge in the province, and the numbers speak for themselves. Every year, we refer more than 500 patients to Harare or Bulawayo for specialised treatment from Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital, and on a weekly basis, we send between 10 and 20 patients out of the province.
“This is, not only costly for patients and their families, but it also delays critical care. Having radiotherapy services here at the provincial referral hospital will be a game-changer in ensuring timely and accessible treatment for our people,” said Dr Makiwa.
He said the hospital welcomes the development. “The hospital has been steadily growing in recent years and is better equipped to handle specialised services. We now have a better complement of specialists, from only about three specialists a few years ago to 10 right now.
“The move by Government to decentralise cancer treatment and radiotherapy services will come in tandem with the expansion that has been happening at the hospital,” he said.
He noted that while infrastructure and ancillary services are still work in progress, steps will be taken to ensure that the hospital is well-equipped for radiotherapy services.
“The important thing is that since there is now a vision towards decentralising cancer radiotherapy, measures will be taken to upgrade our infrastructure and general ancillary services so that we can cater for radiotherapy services at the hospital,” said Dr Makiwa.
He stressed that bringing radiotherapy services closer to home will ease the financial and logistical burden on patients and their families.
“This means that we will now have local solutions for our local people, which will enhance access to healthcare. When healthcare is only available at distant locations, people tend to delay seeking medical attention. If services are brought nearer and within the province, more people will seek treatment early, and this will help lessen the cancer burden in Manicaland,” he explained.
Dr Makiwa also said improved access to cancer treatment will encourage better health-seeking behaviour among patients, ultimately reducing late-stage diagnoses.
“The impact of decentralising cancer treatment centres is that we will have more people coming through for treatment, and ultimately, the cancer burden in the province and the country will be much lower. The move will definitely complement the hospital’s ongoing expansion efforts, ensuring that specialised healthcare services are available to more people in Manicaland,” he said.
Dr Makiwa expressed optimism that with the necessary infrastructure upgrades and additional specialist staffing, Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital is poised to become a key centre for cancer treatment in the province.
“This will bring much-needed relief to patients who previously faced long and costly journeys to access radiotherapy services,” he said.