Johnson Progress

Zimbabwe is grappling with an alarming surge in childhood cancer cases, placing immense emotional and financial strain on families.

 

According to the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry, 263 cases were recorded among children aged 0 to 14 years in 2019, accounting for 13.7% of all cancers that year.

 

The most common types of childhood cancers in Zimbabwe are leukaemia (18%), renal tumours (13%), retinoblastoma (6%), lymphomas (13%), and central nervous system tumours (10%).

 

For many families, the journey to diagnosis is often long and arduous.

 

Mrs Charity Dhewa from Zaka, whose three-year-old son was diagnosed with Wilms tumour, a type of kidney cancer, recounts the traumatic experience.

 

“He was staying with my mother at that time and I heard that he was not feeling well.

Whenever he ate something, his stomach would start swelling and he was always weak,” she said, describing how her son’s symptoms were initially misdiagnosed at a local clinic.

 

Late detection remains a significant challenge in treating childhood cancer in Zimbabwe.

 

Health experts warn that most cases are detected late, resulting in poor treatment outcomes.

 

According to KidzCan finance manager Mr Gift Marunda, awareness is a major hurdle.

 

“Most people do not know that children can get cancer, and as a result, it is often neglected,” he said.

 

As Zimbabwe commemorates Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, health experts are urging the government to prioritize funding for cancer equipment and maintenance, strengthen partnerships with international health organizations, expand screening programs for early detection, and invest in public awareness to reduce preventable cancers.

 

“We want to encourage other corporates to come on board and be part and parcel of KidzCan. We run a home here, where we make sure that children do get the necessary supports in between treatments,” said Mr Marunda.

 

KidzCan Zimbabwe provides critical support to families, including accommodation, medication, and psychosocial support .

 

The World Health Organisation estimates that around 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year globally.

 

While survival rates exceed 80% in high-income countries, they often fall below 20% in low- and middle-income countries like Zimbabwe due to late diagnosis, drug shortages, and inadequate specialised care.

 

As the cancer burden in Zimbabwe continues to rise, health experts are sounding the alarm.

 

“Cancer shouldn’t be a death sentence,” said Sibanda, a public health expert.

 

“But without urgent intervention, Zimbabwe will keep losing lives that could have been saved,” he added.