By Staff writer
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga says the rise in cancer patients calls for urgent need of specialized treatment centers in different parts of the country.
Mr Mulenga said this in Washington, DC when he held a meeting with Chris Toth, the Chief Executive Officer of Varian, a Siemens Healthineers Company.
Siemens Healthineers Company formerly Varian Medical Systems Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions.
Mr Mulenga said that Zambia has the potential to provide medical services and health tourism with potential sites in Ndola, Kabwe and Livingstone.
“There is a rise in Cancer patients in Zambia therefore, there is urgent need of specialized treatment centers in different parts of the country,” said Mr. Mulenga.
And Mr Toth said Siemens Healthineers Company can provide sustainability solutions in the form of skills development and technical equipment.
He said financial solutions could be sourced from Development Finance Corporations and the U.S Government.
The meeting agreed that both parties Siemens Healthineers and the Zambian Government need to take a coordinated approach to setting up a cancer treatment drive for Zambia.
The meeting proposed that a delegation comprised of the Zambian Government and Siemens should travel to India to conduct a tour of the fully operational treatment center in India to enable the Zambian Government to appreciate the model of treatment centers to be replicated in Zambia.
The meeting agreed that an assessment of the Cancer Diseases Hospital at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) was necessary to identify the gaps particularly in medical equipment and skills.
Mr Mulenga reiterated that there is a huge opportunity to provide medical services in Zambia and the Zambian Government’s commitment to working with Siemens Healthineers.
During the meeting, Mr Mulenga was accompanied by Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe and Commerce Permanent Secretary John Mulongoti.
This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary Press and Public Relations Embassy of the Republic of Zambia, Washington, DC United States of America Charles Tembo.
