By Seleoe Nonyane
The minister of health Semano Sekatle officiated the initiation of chemotherapy at Senkatana Oncology as it recorded its first chemotherapy patient last week.
Senkatana Oncologist Kabelo Mputsoe explained chemotherapy as a cancer treatment that uses drug to destroy the cancer cells. She said its work is to keep the cancer cells from growing.
While speaking at the launch, Sekatle noted that he is delighted that cancer patients will not have to be referred to South Africa or India anymore for chemotherapy like before.
“We had a lot of cancer patients being referred to South Africa and India. But from today we will treat our cancer patients who are in need of chemotherapy.
“We will only be sending patients for Radiotherapy to those countries. However, soon we will not be sending patients to India too because of an agreement we had to bring some of their experts to Lesotho.
“Soon we will also be launching a cancer ward at Queen ‘Mamohato Memorial Hospital,” he said.
He appealed to all health centres to do cancer screening and likewise, for Basotho to ask for cancer screening while visiting clinics.
“At least once a year, each Mosotho should get cancer screening,” he advised.
