By Agness Changala
Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) urged the the UPND administration to consider a tax waiver on special equipment to enable private entities with capacity to invest in procuring the radiation machine to do so.
On Monday, Daily Revelation published a story where Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) confirmed that the radiation machine at the country’s biggest hospital has not been working since December 2022.
Further to this, the hospital said due to the broken down equipment, it is sending patients seeking radiotherapy to Tanzania, although there was no indication whether or not the sending of patients there is at the hospital’s expense.
Speaking to Daily Revelation on this development, ZMA secretary general Dr. Oliver Kaoma said the association is aware of the disruption in radiotherapy services at Zambia’s only cancer
treatment center.
“The association has been aware of this disruption in radiotherapy services at Zambia’s only cancer treatment center. The association has continued to-echo the need to resolve this problem with the urgency it deserves. We further called on the government this year to consider tax waivers of special medical equipment with a view that private entities with capacity may consider investing in procuring this critical equipment,” Dr. Kaoma said.
He has since urged the government to urgently invest in the procurement of this critical equipment.
Dr. Kaoma however, noted the recognition by the government on the need to create two additional treatment centers in Ndola and Livingstone.
“This will decongest CDH, reduce patient waiting time to start treatment (which greatly affects the prognosis of the diseases) and bring cancer services closer to the people,” he said.
Dr. Kaoma has since called on the government to build local capacity as well as human resource personnel even as the work towards the two new treatment centers is underway.
