Zimbabwe completes payment for new cancer machines

Zimbabwe is set to receive a new generation of state-of-the-art radiotherapy machines early next year after Treasury finalised payment of initial deposits for the equipment, marking the country's largest public sector investment in cancer treatment infrastructure in decades.

The machines, which are currently under manufacture, will be installed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare and Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. They are being procured using US$30 million raised from the sugar tax introduced in the 2024 National Budget.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion's 2026 Zimbabwe Infrastructure Investment Programme released last month, Treasury has already paid US$5,3 million as deposits to suppliers, representing 20 percent of the total cost.

A Government technical team is scheduled to travel to the manufacturer's plant in the first two weeks of January to conduct pre-delivery inspections. Once cleared, the equipment will be shipped to Zimbabwe, paving the way for installation at the two major referral hospitals.

Authorities have already begun decommissioning older radiotherapy machines at Parirenyatwa and Mpilo in preparation for the new installations. While the existing units remain functional, they will be redeployed to other public hospitals to expand access to cancer treatment services.

The older Mpilo machine will be transferred to Gweru, where a new cancer treatment centre will be established. The Parirenyatwa unit is expected to be relocated either to Chinhoyi or Masvingo, with Masvingo emerging as a strong contender due to its developing medical school, which could also use the equipment for training purposes.

The expansion will increase the number of public radiotherapy sites in Zimbabwe from two to four, a move expected to significantly reduce patient backlogs, shorten waiting times and bring life-saving treatment closer to communities outside Harare and Bulawayo.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora confirmed that procurement was complete and that suppliers had already begun manufacturing the machines.

"We completed the procurement process, the Minister of Finance paid the deposit that was required — that is 20 percent — and the machines are already being manufactured," Dr Mombeshora said.

"Some of the machines, one of the companies that are supplying the low-energy machines, have already completed them."

He said a team of specialists would travel to the manufacturing plants in early January for pre-shipment inspections before the equipment is delivered to Zimbabwe.

"Back home here, we have started the decommissioning process," Dr Mombeshora said. "One new machine will be installed at Mpilo and another at Parirenyatwa. The old machine at Mpilo is being moved to Gweru so we can establish a new cancer treatment centre there. We will start with the old machine as we build capacity."

He added that the Parirenyatwa machine would either be moved to Chinhoyi or Masvingo.

"The next phase will also be the decommissioning of the equipment at Parirenyatwa, and we plan to either put it in Chinhoyi hospital or in Masvingo," he said. "I was suggesting Masvingo since there is a new medical school coming up there, maybe to help in training while treating patients."

Treasury's Infrastructure Investment Programme said the deposits were part of a broader plan to improve diagnostic and treatment capacity in public hospitals.

"As part to improve health services through the procurement of new cancer diagnostic and treatment machines, a total of US$5,3 million has been paid as deposits to suppliers of medical equipment to enable the delivery and installation of the equipment," the report said.

The equipment being procured includes Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines, fusion pumps, syringe pumps, vital signs monitors, fluid warmers, gas chromatographs, mass spectrometers, point-of-care blood gas analysers, chemistry analysers and video laryngoscopes, which will be distributed to Parirenyatwa, Mpilo, Sally Mugabe, United Bulawayo and Chitungwiza Central hospitals.

The sugar tax, imposed on sugar-sweetened beverages to curb non-communicable diseases, has now been channelled into critical healthcare investments, with cancer treatment infrastructure identified as a top priority for last year's collections.

An MRI machine uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce highly detailed images of organs, tissues and tumours, enabling accurate diagnosis of cancers and other serious conditions. Fusion and syringe pumps ensure precise delivery of medication and fluids, while vital signs monitors continuously track patients' key health indicators.

Other equipment, such as gas chromatographs and mass spectrometers, allows for advanced laboratory analysis of blood, urine and tissue samples, while point-of-care blood gas analysers provide rapid results essential for emergency and intensive care settings. Video laryngoscopes improve safety during airway management, particularly in emergencies.

For years, public sector cancer patients who could not afford private care have faced long waiting lists or costly travel to Harare and Bulawayo. Treatment in private facilities remains prohibitively expensive, with chemotherapy drugs costing between US$100 and US$1 000 per dose, radiotherapy ranging from US$5 000 to US$10 000 per course, and surgery costing up to US$10 000 depending on complexity.

With many patients requiring multiple rounds of treatment, the expansion of public radiotherapy services is expected to bring significant relief to thousands of Zimbabweans living with cancer and to drastically improve treatment outcomes across the country.