During a recent mission to Lilongwe, Malawi, an OPEC Fund team charted progress of a healthcare project that will bring the full spectrum of cancer treatment services to patients THE OPEC FUND- FINANCED NATIONAL CANCER TREATMENT CENTER IN MALAWI
B uilt adjacent to the Kamuzu Central Hospital, the National Cancer Treatment Center will be the country’s first dedicated facility that offers both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. “Cancer is a significant public health problem in Malawi,” says Khaled Al-Zayer, OPEC Fund Director, Public Sector Operations, Eastern and Southern Africa (below right). “While some hospitals in the country provide chemotherapy, radiation therapy is non-existent. Patients must instead travel abroad to seek treatment – an option that isn’t available to everyone.” The OPEC Fund provided the majority of funding for the National Cancer Treatment Center with a loan of US$13.2 million, along with finance from the
Malawian government and technical assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Al-Zayer recently visited the project site. Part of the center has been completed and is offering in- and out-patient chemotherapy. “The design process for the final project phase is making good progress and will soon be completed,” he reports. “Works are expected to commence after Malawi’s rainy season ends in the spring of 2022, when additional buildings to house radiotherapy equipment will be constructed. The aim is to have the center fully operational by the end of 2022.” The center will not only reduce mortality rates in Malawi, it will also address shortages in qualified human resources by providing in-service training of oncologists, nurses, technicians and administrative staff. The facility will be equipped to treat around 2,000 patients per year and will also serve as a referral center from other healthcare facilities in the country.
“ In addition to making it easier for Malawians to access the specialized care they need, the project will significantly reduce costs for the government. Khaled Al-Zayer, OPEC Fund Director, Public Sector Operations, Eastern and Southern Africa
“In addition to making it easier for Malawians to access the specialized care they need, the project will significantly reduce costs for the government as it currently spends well over US$1 million annually sending patients abroad for treatment”, explains Al-Zayer. “This will in turn free up funding that can be re-allocated to
other priority areas for the
benefit of the population.”
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