By MILDRED KATONGO –
FIRST Lady Esther Lungu has called on the respective governments globally and the private sector to increase investments in cancer prevention and control as a matter of urgency.
Ms Lungu said delaying investments in the prevention of cancer would be costly.
She said this in a speech read for her by former first lady Christine Kaseba-Sata at the 11th stop cervical, breast and prostate cancer in Africa conference held at the Hilton Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Ms Lungu said cancer prevention and control was a moral imperative and critical investment in the future of societies.
This is contained in a statement made available by first secretary for Press and public relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, Naomi Nyawali.

LUNGU

“Cancer fight is expected to be costly as the HIV fight has been, since the estimated cost of cervical cancer was expected to double from US$2.7 billion pay year in 2010 to $ 4.7 billion pay year in 2030. Zambia, like other African countries, cannot afford another pandemic in the form of cancer on the heels of its relentless fight against HIV and other infectious diseases,” the First Lady said.
She said about 70 per cent of the diagnosed cancer patients in Zambia died, making the cancer-related mortality high.
Ms Lungu said the high mortality was what had triggered all efforts and programmes to ensure that cancer-related mortality was reduced.
The First Lady said Zambia would be the first country to be supported by the Global Fund for Cervical Cancer Screening in Zambia, in collaboration with organisations such as PEPFAR, CDC, CIDRZ and PRRR.
Ms Lungu said the next 10 years would demand sustained and tireless efforts in ensuring that the objective of reducing cancer mortality rate by two thirds by the year 2030 was achieved.