Public Hospitals Operating Without Cancer Machines

NONE of Zimbabwe’s public hospitals has a radiotherapy or chemotherapy machines to treat cancer patients, Newzimbabwe.com has learnt.

The only machine that had been working between 2020 and 2021 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has since gone out of service.

Parirenyatwa spokesperson Linos Dhire confirmed this development saying the machine requires spares which are imported from other countries.

“Concerted efforts are underway to ensure that the required spares and foreign engineers are urgently brought in to fix the problem,” Dhire said.

“The hospital has managed to bring in engineers for a comprehensive assessment of the machines. We hope to restore the services as soon as possible. The hospital is however still providing all other services in regards to cancer treatment as guided by our specialist oncologists,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s health sector has seen little investments over the past decades with government failing to allocate the 15% expected of it by the Abuja Declaration.

The situation has worsened conditions of cancer patients who might have to deal with a nurses’ strike announced Wednesday.