Cancer fight gets Sh38 billion shot in the arm

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s fight against cancer received a vital shot in the arm yesterday when the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS) and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed an agreement and memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 13.3 million euros (about Sh38 billion) in grants.

The money, whose disbursement starts almost immediately, will specifically finance a four-year project known as Tanzania Comprehensive Cancer Project (TCCP).

Of the funds, ten million euros is in form of aid from AFD while the remaining 3.3 million euros is a grant from the Aga Khan Foundation Geneva which is part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

Available data show that cancer cases were on the rise in Tanzania, with reports from the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) showing that the number of people who received treatment there rose from 35,367 during the financial year 2014/15 to 64,747 in 2018/19.

The four-year TCCP, which starts next month (January 2020), will serve to accelerate performance in cancer screening, prevention and early detection targeting low-income groups through mobile outreach campaigns.

The signing ceremony was graced by the Health Ministry deputy minister Dr Faustine Ndugulile and attended by various representatives from the government, private sector and development partners.

Speaking during the ceremony, a consultant oncologist at the Aga Khan Hospital and director for TCCP, Dr Harrison Chuwa, said the project was designed to reduce the burden of cancer mortality and morbidity in two target regions of Dar es Salaam and Mwanza.

This will be achieved through a strategy that focuses on the enhanced performance. It will also expand the outreach of the Tanzanian based implementing partners including Aga Khan Health Services Tanzania (AKHST), ORCI, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Bugando Medical Center (BMC), Dar es Salaam and Mwanza regional secretariats and the Health Ministry, according to Dr Chuwa.

Furthermore, Dr Chuwa asserted that under the project, the implementing partners will create an integrated health care network at local and hospital levels to accelerate performance in cancer care in the country. Tanzania and other developing countries are disproportionately affected by cancer, where a dramatic rise in cancer incidence and mortality is seen. This places an enormous burden on the Dar es Salaam-based ORCI which until 2014 was the only public cancer hospital responsible for serving the country’s 55 million inhabitants.

According to ORCI executive director Dr Julius Mwaiselage, the cancer hospital is currently receiving 64,000 cancer patients per year, compared to 30,000 patients in 2015.

Addressing the objectives of the project, AFD Country Director, Ms Stephanie Mouen, raised optimism that the proposed project will complement the government’s efforts on creating greater access of cancer care for the vulnerable populations in Tanzania.

The AKDN director of health services, Dr Gijs Walraven, reiterated the network’s commitment to continue supporting East African countries in improving healthcare.

“The project proposal is relevant to Tanzania and it will help in enhancing cancer care, “ said Dr Walraven during the signing ceremony.

Moreover, in his speech, the Chief Guest Dr Ndugulile thanked the project funders AFD and AKDN for the major step they have taken in seeing the need and extending funding for enabling the provision of cancer treatment in Tanzania.

“Among the diseases which the government has earmarked as a special priority is cancer centre remains one of the prominent ailments affecting millions globally and locally, “ said Dr Ndugulile.

Referring to the project, the Minister said the government was looking forward to see tangible outcomes at the end of the project.

“We expect that 60 percent of our national population will be reached through awareness campaigns that will ultimately enhance their understanding of cancer, “ said the minister.