By Daily Revelation Reporter
The government has plans of sending 400 cancer patients to India for treatment at the government expense, sources have told Daily Revelation.
And Health minister Sylvia Masebo and permanent secretary for Technical Services Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi accompanied 20 cancer patients to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) as they waited to board a plane to India for treatment.
Sources told Daily Revelation that the 400 [pp-logged-users] cancer patients will be spread to about 6 or 8 hospitals in India.
The sources said this will be done at a huge cost to the treasury and wondered if the Zambian government had failed to repair the radiation machine at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) which has not been operating since last year.
On Monday, Daily Revelation contacted the permanent secretary Dr George Sinyangwe to confirm the above information but he requested the newspaper to send a written query.
As guided by Dr Sinyangwe, a query was sent but no response has come through so far.
And the Government has evacuated 20 cancer patients to India for treatment.
Masebo and Dr. Lishimpi went to see off some of the patients travelling before they could board a plane.
The minister was heard speaking to some patients finding out how they were doing as well as encouraging them to stay positive as they undergo the treatment.
In November this year, Masebo told Parliament that the government would close the Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) for close to six months so that it can be refurbished
Caption: Health minister Sylvia Masebo speaks to cancer patients at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) as they waited to board a flight to India for treatment.[/pp-logged-users]
