Lilongwe Cancer Centre to open soon — Health Minister Mhango

By Morton Sibale, MANA

Minister of Health and Population, Jappie Mhango has asked Malawian to be rest assured that Cancer Centre at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe will be opened soon after the installation of the bunkers at the newly-constructed facility is completed.

Mhango made the the assurance on Friday in Lilongwe during the commemoration of the World Cancer Day, which also saw the country launch the National Cancer Strategic Plan. 

Jappie Mhango, health and population minister

However, the Minister was non committal on the exact dates for the opening of the centre but was optimistic that the construction of the said structures at the facility will commence shortly and have the centre operational very soon. 

One of the buildings at the centre was damaged by strong winds a few weeks ago, which the Minister said affected the schedule to operationalise the centre. 

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He observed that shortly, once repairs are completed, the children’s section will be operationalised.

“We had technical capacity challenges in building the bunkers which have since been resolved and any time from now we will start building the bunkers. 

“I will be able to give exact time for opening once we finally start building the bunkers,” Mhango said. 

President Mutharika commissioned construction
in 2007

He, therefore, said the full opening of the centre hinges on the completion of the construction of the bunkers, which are a key component in the facility’s ability to offer radiotherapy services.

President of Cancer Association of Malawi Regina Njirima said her association is looking forward to the opening of the facility, saying it will go a long way in helping fighting the pandemic in Malawi. 

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“We will keep pushing government to fully operationalise this centre as soon as possible because we see the gravity of the situation on the ground. 

“Opening this centre will help our people because most of them cannot afford to seek medical help abroad,” Njirima said. 

President Arthur Peter Mutharika presided over the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the Cancer Treatment Centre in 2017. 

The center is being constructed with funding from loan of US$15 million from the Open Fund for International Development and was initially scheduled to be opened late last year.