LUSAKA — The University Teaching Hospital has inaugurated a regional cancer treatment centre equipped with two linear accelerators and staffed by Cuban oncologists deployed under a Zambia-Cuba health cooperation agreement.
UTH senior medical superintendent Mwaba Kasese said the centre expects to treat 1,200 patients annually, focusing on cervical, breast and prostate cancers prevalent in Zambian adults. Previously, many patients travelled to India or South Africa for radiotherapy at considerable personal expense.
Health Minister Elijah Muchima said government had allocated K45 million for equipment maintenance and pharmaceutical supplies over three years. Cancer survivors’ groups welcomed the development but urged community screening programmes in rural areas where late-stage diagnosis remains common.
The Cuba deployment mirrors similar specialist teams in ophthalmology and paediatric surgery. Medical Council of Zambia registrar Joseph Musonda confirmed all foreign practitioners met licensing requirements.
Public health researchers noted that lifestyle factors and HIV co-infection contribute to rising cancer incidence. NGOs called for tobacco tax increases to fund prevention campaigns alongside treatment expansion.
