Former Deputy Prime Minister and cancer advocate, Dr Thokozani Khupe, has revealed that she has engaged the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube, on the need to allocate funding for cancer treatment in Zimbabwe.
She said that the finance minister has committed to using funds from the sugar tax to invest in state-of-the-art medical equipment and to fund cancer research.
“I spoke to the Minister of Finance, and he agreed to help. He informed me that they have ring-fenced money from the sugar tax, which will be used to purchase advanced medical equipment and conduct essential research. Our scientists need to focus on developing treatments for cancer at all stages,” Dr Khupe said during an interview on the CITE’s View.
Khupe, who is also the Patron of the Thokozani Khupe Cancer Foundation and a Member of Parliament for Bulawayo, emphasised her vision for Zimbabwe to become a leader in cancer treatment, where people from across the region can come for care.
“My dream is for Zimbabwe to lead in cancer treatment, so that people from other regions come here instead of us going to South Africa, India, or the UK. Treatment must be available, accessible, and affordable here in Zimbabwe,” she added.
Khupe highlighted the current challenges with cancer diagnosis in Zimbabwe, particularly the lack of functional equipment in public hospitals.
She recounted instances where Mpilo Central Hospital did not have working mammogram machines, and patients were forced to pay high fees at private hospitals.
“We have educated people to self-examine, but when they find something wrong and go to a hospital, what then? Mpilo’s equipment wasn’t working, and the same goes for Parirenyatwa. We need functional, state-of-the-art equipment like combined CT and PET scans, mammograms, and radiation machines to provide accurate diagnoses and the right treatment,” Khupe explained.
She spoke from personal experience, sharing how she received multiple wrong diagnoses in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and India, before finally receiving the correct diagnosis of lobular breast cancer in the UK.
The advanced diagnostic tools in the UK, she said, made a critical difference.
“The importance of getting the right diagnosis cannot be overstated. It leads to the right treatment and can prolong life. Sadly, when people get the wrong diagnosis, it often leads to death,” Khupe noted.
Khupe also emphasised the need for investment in research and development of cancer medications.
She urged the government to increase funding for cancer research, particularly to find new treatments and medications that would help Zimbabwe stay ahead of the disease.
“As much as we need state-of-the-art equipment, we also need medication for all types of cancer. Research and development are crucial to keeping us ahead of the disease. We need new medications so that we always have options when one treatment stops working,” she said.
“Development is not rocket science, it’s discovering what other people did, coping from other people. Let’s copy from the UK. I am appealing to the government to make sure they put more money into research and development particularly on cancer so that we can come up with cancer medications.”
Khupe noted that Mpilo and Parirenyatwa were two major referral public hospitals which have cancer units, which must be “fully equipped” with the state of the arts and all cancer medication so anyone in Zimbabwe who walks in there receives treatment immediately.
“Someone would rather travel from Binga to Mpilo for treatment than for them to travel from Binga to South Africa, the UK or India. Someone would rather travel from Chipinge to Parirenyatwa than go to the UK,” said the MP.
Apart from raising awareness, having state-of-the-art equipment, conducting research and development, Khupe emphasised that one prevention and possible method was living a “clean lifestyle and eating traditional foods.”
As a result, Khupe praised the First Lady’s efforts to promote traditional foods as part of a healthy lifestyle, linking good nutrition to better health outcomes.
“I have already changed and I am now eating more traditional foods than processed foods because processed foods contribute more to this cancer. When I was in India one of the doctors said the best medication is one’s food. Once your body is nourished, it can fight any disease but when malnourished you can easily succumb to that disease,” she explained.
“When it comes to the lives of people, stop politicising issues, look at what the First Lady is doing. She is popularising traditional foods and I was saying let’s embrace this programme so people start eating them. Right now we are talking of life and death , it’s a very good programme we must all run with it.”
As part of her advocacy, Dr. Khupe has also brought the issue of cancer awareness to Parliament. She has called on MPs to conduct cancer awareness programmes in their constituencies during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The MP also announced plans for the formation of a cancer caucus in Parliament, aimed at pushing for better government action on cancer treatment and research.
“I raised a matter of national interest last week – calling on the Speaker to set aside a day every October to talk about cancer,” she said.
“We are going to push hard to make sure the Ministers of Finance and Health address these issues. ”
Khupe also called for more partnerships with her foundation, urging individuals and organisations to join the cause of cancer awareness, research, and treatment in Zimbabwe.
““The foundation has limitations not funded by anybody but through my own initiatives working with councillor Ntando Ndlovu, Addelis Sibutha and others. We try to do what we can to make sure to reach the few we can . better than not doing anything,” she said.
“If you want to partner the foundation can email me on thoko63@yahoo.co.uk and my number is +263785891171.”
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