Nearly 10 million people will die from cancer worldwide in 2020, making it the top cause of death.
According to the national cancer registry, the number of cancer cases in Zimbabwe has doubled between 2009 and 2018.
This is attributable to things like behavioral cancer risk factors, limited access to early diagnosis therapy, and palliative care.
With technical and financial assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) Zimbabwe and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) organized a workshop to update the nation’s National Cancer Control Plan (NCCCP), which was in effect from 2014 to 2018. This was done in response to the rise in cases.
Key experts in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, including palliative care, participated in the workshop, which was held from June 6 to June 10, 2022.
Along with important cancer players such as the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Zimbabwe, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ) (HOSPAZ).
The workshop was held during Zimbabwe’s two prior NCCPs, the most recent of which ended in 2018.
To address the rising cancer burden, the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) has also been putting into practice a number of programs for cancer prevention, early detection, including screening, treatment, and care.
One of these tactics is the release of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. Additionally, the nation has a program for cervical cancer screening that guarantees early diagnosis and treatment of cervical precancer as well as early cancer treatment.
At the government central hospital in Harare, GoZ has also trained radio oncologists, oncology nurses, and professionals in the field. The GoZ has also made sure that the public hospital has the necessary human resource capacity for cancer treatment and care.
Additionally, the National Pharmaceutical Company, which purchases medicines for the nation, is now equipped to guarantee the availability and accessibility of essential medications.
The one-week workshop’s goal was to analyze and polish the draft NCCP, which spans the years 2022 through 2026. The broad stakeholder meeting conducted in Bulawayo in November 2021 marked the beginning of the development process for this NCCP.
Priorities for the new NCCP 2022–2026 were created and determined during this stakeholder conference. The MoHCC subsequently selected a technical team to create a draft of the NCCP.
The 2020–2025 National Health Strategy of Zimbabwe is in line with the draft NCCP. The draft NCCP makes recommendations for high-priority interventions in seven areas, including governance, policy, and planning for cancer control; prevention; screening and early diagnosis; diagnosis; treatment; palliative care, rehabilitation, and survivorship; and cancer surveillance and research.
The NCCP will be our guiding document for the mitigation of cancer, a significant challenge in the health care delivery system, Dr. Munyaradzi Dobbie, MoHCC, Chief Director Public Health Services, stated in his remarks.
It will assist us in ensuring that resources are utilized to their full potential and in bringing together all facets of society in order to reduce the burden of cancer. We cannot accomplish that without the NCCP plan.
Important stakeholders also expressed their gratitude for the government’s reaffirmed commitment to addressing the rising cancer burden in Zimbabwe.
Marianna Nobile, a program officer for the IAEA, reaffirmed that the organization’s support for the WHO is intended to promote the safe, secure, and appropriate use of nuclear science and technology to fulfill important sustainable development priorities.
The IAEA is prepared to help Zimbabwe continue to develop its nuclear and radiation medicine capabilities.
A final draft of the NCCP 2022–2026 was created and approved by the technical experts and stakeholders at the conclusion of the workshop.
To maintain consistency with NHS 2022–2025, this paper will be shared with the MoHCC for validation and additional evaluation. Following validation, the NCCP 2022–2026 will be costed with technical assistance from WHO.
The costed NCCP will then be formally unveiled, after which it will serve as Zimbabwe’s five-year plan for cancer prevention and control.
The Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC), a partnership between WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, provided funding for the workshop. One of the initiative’s target nations is Zimbabwe.
After the workshop in Mazowe, the WHO and IAEA team made a courtesy call to Dr. Jasper Chimedza, the Permanent Secretary (PS) for the MoHCC, who underlined GoZ’s commitment to reducing the burden of cancer.
As Dr. Chimedza observed, “We welcome WHO’s cooperation and approve the adoption of the costed NCCP whenever it is finished”.