By Phillimon Backson.
The Parliamentary Committee on Health has called on the government to urgently consider engaging in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative to improve access to quality healthcare services for cancer patients at the International Blantyre Cancer Centre.
Committee Chairperson, Anthony Masamba, emphasized that strengthening collaboration with private health institutions could significantly reduce the burden on public facilities while ensuring timely and specialized treatment for patients.
Masamba noted that over the past five years, the government has spent more than K12 billion on external medical referrals for cancer patients seeking treatment abroad.
He described the expenditure as unsustainable, stressing that investing in local partnerships would not only reduce costs but also improve patient outcomes by enabling access to treatment within Malawi.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Health, Madalitso Baloyi, has assured Malawians that government has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with International Blantyre Cancer Centre to allow cancer patients access quality health care services.
