GOVERNMENT has pledged to strengthen cancer care services and expand access to treatment for vulnerable groups, including rural communities, war veterans and low-income families, as it moves to decentralise specialised healthcare across the country.
The commitment came after senators raised concern over the high cost of cancer treatment and limited access for patients in remote areas who struggle to pay for medical care.
While acknowledging the installation of cancer screening and treatment equipment at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare and Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, legislators said the concentration of services in two cities continued to disadvantage patients in rural and provincial areas.
In response, Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora said the government assisted disadvantaged groups through the Department of Social Welfare, which covered medical costs for those unable to pay.
“We have a government policy that those who are disadvantaged and do not have money must go to social services and get their dues paid,” he said.
Mombeshora said the government was finalising a National Health Fund Bill aimed at improving universal access to healthcare.
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“In that Bill, every citizen in Zimbabwe must be able to be treated in all government hospitals for free,” he said, adding that the scheme would be financed through earmarked taxes from harmful products such as alcohol and cigarettes.
He said the proposed fund would allow hospitals to recover costs while ensuring patients were not turned away due to inability to pay.
“People will get treated for free and then the hospital where a patient is being treated will claim its money,” he said, urging lawmakers to support the initiative.
Mombeshora said the government was working to decentralise cancer treatment services to reduce long-distance travel for patients.
He said a cancer treatment machine at Mpilo Central Hospital would be relocated to Gweru as part of efforts to spread services more evenly across the country.
The minister highlighted plans to introduce digital systems to speed up medical testing and reduce waiting times for results.
“When a person is being tested, he or she is not required to spend a month waiting for results,” he said.
Mombeshora addressed concerns about ageing war veterans, many of whom are increasingly afflicted by non-communicable diseases such as cancer. He said mobile medical vans would be deployed to rural areas to improve screening and early detection.
“We have bought mobile medical vans and will go to rural areas to encourage people to get tested. If diagnosed early, they can be treated. We are also working with the Ministry of War Veterans Affairs so they can be assisted,” he said.
Government says the combined reforms are aimed at improving early detection, expanding treatment access and reducing the number of patients forced to seek expensive treatment outside the country.