Government has announced the commencement of rehabilitation works at the Cancer Disease Hospital (CDH) in Lusaka at a cost of US$30 million, aimed at re-equipping the facility and enabling it to provide radiotherapy services by early 2026.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has welcomed the government’s decision to rehabilitate the hospital, describing it as a critical step towards improving cancer care in Zambia.
The announcement followed a visit to Zambia by Amal Elrefaei, Programme Management Officer (PMO) in the IAEA Division of Africa, who toured the construction site alongside the Permanent Secretary for Technical Services in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi.
The project, fully funded by the Zambian government, will see CDH re-equipped with state-of-the-art radiotherapy and imaging machines.
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“By early 2026, the hospital will begin providing modern radiotherapy treatment to patients, a milestone that will significantly improve access to quality cancer care,” Lishimpi said.
He commended the IAEA for its long-standing support to Zambia’s cancer programme, recalling that as early as 2003 the agency sponsored training for the country’s first cohort of Radiation Oncologists, Radiographers, Medical Physicists, and Radiation Maintenance Technicians in South Africa.
“Over the years, the IAEA has continued to support CDH through training, fellowship courses, equipment provision, and technical expertise to strengthen diagnostic, treatment, and research capacity,” he added.
Lishimpi said Elrefaei reaffirmed the strong partnership between the IAEA and the Zambian government, noting that the collaboration continues to transform cancer care and bring hope to patients across the country.
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