Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke-Senior Health Reporter
TREASURY will continue committing resources through the sugar tax cancer fund towards the procurement of modern diagnostic and treatment equipment to major hospitals, a milestone in Zimbabwe’s drive to upgrade care and expand access to quality health services for all under Vision 2030.
Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said this yesterday during a visit to the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) warehouse where a high-energy linear accelerator destined for Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals’ radiotherapy centre is being housed ahead of installation.
Prof Ncube said Treasury had already used US$30 million from the fund to procure the first batch of equipment, while the remaining US$20 million would finance the next phase of the programme.
The machine is one of the two latest radiotherapy units to arrive under the Government-funded cancer equipment procurement programme, which is being financed through revenue generated from the sugar content tax introduced on sweetened beverages.
The high-energy linear accelerator will be installed at the Parirenyatwa Radiotherapy Centre, while another machine has already been delivered to Bulawayo for installation at the Mpilo Radiotherapy Centre.
“A couple of years ago, we proposed that the sugar content tax be introduced and we are delighted to see the results of that tax,” he said.
“Out of the US$30 million that we have used so far, we have managed to procure the first set of machines under this programme. Two machines are already being installed at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo hospitals and what we have behind us is now the second sub-phase, which is the high-energy machine for cancers that are deeper in our bodies.”
Prof Ncube said the investment demonstrated how domestic resource mobilisation could be used to strengthen the country’s health system at a time when international development assistance for health was declining globally.
“One of the key pillars of our NDS2 and Vision 2030 is to support our citizens and improve their health and well-being,” he said.
“This speaks directly to health and well-being. What we are seeing is a drop in overseas development assistance (ODA) to the health sector, not just to Zimbabwe, but across Africa and the developing world.
“So, this is part of what we call domestic resource mobilisation, which is meant to fill the gap being left behind by declining support.”
Investment in healthcare is critical for economic development, added Prof Ncube.
Prof Ncube said the cancer equipment programme would continue beyond the current phases, with future funding earmarked for additional treatment facilities, medicines and specialist training.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora described the arrival of the high-energy machine as a major milestone in the country’s cancer treatment programme.
“I think this is a very welcome development. We have actually leapfrogged from where we used to have one machine working at Parirenyatwa and now we are going to have modern high-energy machines.
“These are more modern machines compared to what we had before. They come with more advanced software and will provide better treatment for our patients,” he said.
Dr Mombeshora also said additional equipment, including CT simulators used for treatment planning and specialised cooling systems, are already the way from South Africa by road.
One CT simulator would be installed at Mpilo, while another would be at Parirenyatwa to improve treatment planning and precision in cancer management.
Dr Mombeshora said the new equipment would significantly increase the country’s treatment capacity and help clear a backlog of more than 800 patients awaiting radiotherapy services.
