Source: More drugs to fight cancer | The Herald
Mukudzei Chingwere Herald Reporter
There is need to improve healthcare services for cancer patients and the Government is mobilising and distributing more of the medicine needed to fight the disease.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Air Commodore Dr Jasper Chimedza said this last Friday in a speech read on his behalf by Parirenyatwa chief executive Dr Aspect Maunganidze while receiving a donation of Tamoxifen long-term anti-breast cancer medicine from Cancerserve.
Dr Chimedza said the Ministry would ensure inclusion of cancer treatment in the package for essential services accessed at each level of healthcare.
The medicine was purchased through the Cancer Access Partnership, which is an access initiative between Clinton Health Access Initiative, Novartis Pharmaceuticals and other partners.
“Tamoxifen is an effective treatment for breast cancer usually taken after prescribed appropriate treatment for the disease such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy or to relieve effects of the disease in an advanced setting,” said Dr Chimedza.
“This initiative by Cancerserve and partners has come at the right time complementing Government efforts in the fight against cancer during the period of recovery from the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and other recent disasters like Cyclone Idai.
“Procurement of essential cancer medicines through National Pharmaceuticals (NatPharm) is being strengthened by the Ministry of Health and Child Care through improved quantification and mobilisation of resources, leveraging on global essential Cancer Access Programme.”
Dr Chimedza said procurement through the Cancer Access Programme had the potential to generate substantial savings of up to 60 percent for the purchase of anticancer medicines from procuring institutions.
He acknowledged that more work needed to be done to close the gap in the provision of cancer services and said there was need to increase breast cancer awareness campaigns targeted at the public, focusing on early detection and prevention of cancer.
“To show Government commitment, specific budgetary allocations have been made for cancer prevention and treatment,” he said.
“This helps with sustainability of the identified initiated projects such as this Tamoxifen Access Project.”
Dr Alex Danso, the Cancerserve representative, said they had secured enough funds to purchase the next batch to assist 380 disadvantaged breast cancer patients for the next 18 months.
Cancer survivors Ms Molline Musoro and Mr Itai Bopoto gave testimonies of their struggles and journeys to recovery.
They called for early treatment seeking behaviour to give patients a chance of winning the battle against cancer.
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