First Lady donates towards fight against cancer
First Lady has donated K500, 000 through her Callista Mutharika Safe Motherhood Foundation towards the fight against cancer in Malawi.
The cheque was presented by Rose Gondwe, an official from the foundation to the Cancer Association of Malawi atnews conference in Blantyre ahead of a World Cancer Day to be commemorated on February 4 this year.
Vice chairperson for the association, Gladys Mwale, thanked the Callissta Mutharika Foundation for the donation, saying it would help the association prepare for planned activities for February 4 including the renovation of Cancer ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
Mwale appealed for support from individuals and the corporate world towards the fight against cancer.
She said cancer “needs serious attention just like any other diseases, which is why we are appealing to well-wishers to help us so that we can carry this message across the country.”
Dr Leo Masamba, the only oncologist in Malawi, decried the increasing cases of cancer in the country.
He said most people in Malawi died of cancer before receiving any formal treatment.
“In Malawi, most cancer patients die without having any formal cancer treatment due to lack of radiotherapy, properly supported chemotherapy and human resources trained to treat cancer,” he said.
He said, like many other Africa countries, Malawi had no means to respond to the escalation of the disease.
Masamba regretted that most people in Malawi believed that all types of cancer were incurable.
The Malawian medic revealed that globally, cancer killed more people than tuberculosis, HIV/Aids and malaria combined, pointing out that the situation could be worse in Malawi.
This year’s event will be commemorated under the theme: “Together it is possible to change the worrying cancer situation in Malawi.”
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
