Let’s stop lip service on cancer—Ngoma

National coordinator for the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood Dorothy Ngoma has observed that the fight against cancer is getting mere lip service despite the fact that the disease is claiming hundreds of lives annually.

She has also expressed concern over the slow pace at which resources meant for the construction of a cancer unit at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre are being mobilised.

Speaking after paying a surprise visit to the unit yesterday, Ngoma said President Joyce Banda was worried that the fight against cancer is not receiving the support it deserves.

“As a country, we have just been talking about it, but there’s not much we’re doing to eradicate cancer. For instance, it’s unimaginable to see QECH, constructed in the colonial time, having no cancer unit to date. That shows we have not been serious enough in the fight against the disease and the President says we need to start acting now,” she explained.

Ngoma added: “The President is very concerned and that’s why she assigned me to assess the situation and make recommendations.”

She said Banda had expressed interest to lead the nation in mobilising funds for the remaining work to ensure the country has a cancer clinic ‘as soon as yesterday’.

Cancer specialist Leo Masamba urged government to regard cancer treatment as one of basic human rights and that lack of resources for fighting the scourge is a denial of people’s rights.

Masamba indicated that QECH would need more than K100 million to finalise construction of the cancer unit at the hospital.