cancer survivors quest calls for collaborative efforts in cancer fight.
As Malawi observes breast cancer awareness month, the Cancer Survivors Quest is lobbying for more stakeholder effort in the fight against breast cancer.
The organisation’s executive director, Chikhulupiliro Ng’ombe, emphasizes that despite notable progress, there are still some significant gaps in local cancer care.
Ng’ombe has also emphasized the need for greater investment towards construction of treatment centres across the country to bolster the fight against cancer
“We’ve made strides, but much work remains, the current situation is dire, with only one cancer center in Lilongwe and a cancer ward in Blantyre,” Ng’ombe notes.
Malawi has limited facilities, and breast cancer is the third most common cancer among Malawian women, with alarmingly low survival rates.
Currently, Malawi has only one cancer centre in Lilongwe that is still pending full operationalisation, and a cancer ward at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
Ng’ombe advocates for collaborative efforts between government and the private sector to finance infrastructure development as well as procurement of essential medical drugs.