By Andrew Magombo
Malawians can breathe a sigh a relief as the much awaited K8 billion National Cancer Centre Construction Project is set for completion by mid-November 2023.
This was revealed on Wednesday in Lilongwe when Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda and Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu toured the construction site to appreciate progress completed in the first phase.
Addressing the media on the sidelines, Chiponda said construction of radiotherapy and brachytherapy bunkers has taken long because it is a complicated process which needs more precautionary measures to avoid radiation leakages once it is complete.
She said, “We are already giving our cancer patients chemotherapy but the most important part of treatment is radiotherapy which kills cancerous cells using radiation and by December we should be giving those services,
“Most of the work has been done in the last six months, we are grateful to Dr Chakwera because when he came in power he made it a top priority to complete the project which stalled in recent years, Malawians have waited for a long time for this structure.”
Chiponda added that in 2022 over 2000 Malawian women died due to cervical cancer a situation which will be avoided once the bunkers are fully operational by the end of the year.
On his part, Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu said completion of the National Cancer Centre is a game changer as the country will no longer drain coffers to refer patients outside the country for treatment.
During the tour, the two ministers were joined by Indian High Commissioner to Malawi Subbiah Gopalakhrishnan whose government has assisted to construct one of the bunkers among other support towards the project.
Gopalakhrishnan said his country’s contribution to completion of the national cancer centre vindicates their country’s relationship with Malawi and a strong development partnership which pegs the health sector as a key area.
