Windhoek: The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Kalumbi Shangula, on Monday commissioned the installation of a N.dollars 16 million Cobalt-60 radiotherapy machine in the Oncology Unit of the Windhoek Central Hospital. In his address, Shangula emphasized that the commissioning of the machine will assist in fighting the burden of cancer in Namibia and save many lives.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Shangula highlighted that the ministry decided to upgrade the Cobalt-60 radiotherapy unit to the latest technology. The machine, along with a simulator, is used for targeting malignant cells, aiming to improve treatment times and outcomes. The installation of the cobalt source was completed in December 2024, costing more than N.dollars 16 million. Namibia is among a limited number of African countries with a locally managed program for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of different types of cancer.
The Minister noted that Namibia has a multidisciplinary medical team comprising various specialties such as medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, urologists, and nuclear medicine physicians. These teams assess patients and determine appropriate treatment interventions based on the type and stage of cancer. The ministry has also deployed various cancer diagnosis modalities, including analysis of biological samples and anatomical imaging technologies like X-ray machines, CT scanners, and ultrasound machines.
Shangula mentioned that the ministry currently operates five CT scanners, 60 X-ray machines, and numerous ultrasound machines across various health facilities. The Oncology section provides different types of chemotherapy treatments accessible to all State patients, including those for breast cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma. A unit for treating skin cancer using the orthovoltage unit and a high dose rate unit for internal irradiation of specific cancers is also available.
Curative treatments for differentiated thyroid cancers, such as Papillary and Follicular thyroid carcinoma, are provided through a high dosage Iodine capsule. Presently, 85 percent of Namibia's population uses public hospitals. Shangula revealed that the health ministry is considering introducing Lutetium-177 PSMA therapy as a new treatment for prostate cancer, developed by experts in South Africa.
Plans are underway to establish a radiotherapy center at Oshakati with a capital cost of N.dollars 240 million. Dr. Laina Iyambo, Head of Radiation Oncology at Windhoek Central Hospital, stated that the newly commissioned machine would serve Namibians and patients from neighboring countries. Despite the human resource challenges, particularly in radiotherapy technicians and oncologists, efforts will be made to clear the backlog. The top three cancers in Namibia are breast, cervical, and prostate, thus necessitating a constant supply of brachytherapy sources to treat cervical cancer effectively.