The thought of news that your child is to go for a cancer diagnosis as you are referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) on its own, is scary.
On average, it takes a day or two to get the diagnosis done as the whole referral hospital has one machine for the task, in some cases, they tell you that your child has to undergo the same procedure twice, saying the first sample is missing.
Fear of the unknown engulfs you as you see your child’s health deteriorate while waiting for the results.
These and many more heartbreaking experiences were the order of the day at the Child Cancer Ward before National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc donated a chemistry analyzer in 2023.
The machine brings out accurate and factual results, helping early detection of cancer in children.
Five common types of cancer affecting children in Malawi are Leukemia, Burkitt Lymphoma (cancer that affects the B lymphocytes, Wilms tumor (cancer of the kidney), Retinoblastoma (cancer of the eye), and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
In Malawi, 500 children are diagnosed with cancer per year, with QECH receiving an average of between 20-30 new patients per month.
The month of February, the world commemorated World Cancer Day under the theme ‘United by Unique’, and the Children’s Cancer ward, which last year alone made 264 diagnoses, clocked a year and two months after life was made easy for both doctors and guardians with the donation of the chemistry analyzer as the process now takes an hour or at the maximum, two.
QECH Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Beatrice Chikaphonya Phiri said the coming of the chemistry analyzer has greatly improved their work.
“Usually, we would send the samples to the main lab, and sometimes the lab did not have reagents to do kidney or liver function tests. There were also some delays because, as you know, the main lab caters for the whole hospital, not just a department.”
“But now, you can get the results in one or two hours, and at least we know we get results that are reflective of the state in which our patients are at that point,” says Dr. Chikaphonya Phiri.
Dr Chikaphonya Phiri thanks the ‘Bank of the Nation’ for the kind gesture as they are assured of accurate results for the patients.
“We are very grateful for the donation of the chemistry analyzer from National Bank. It has made our life easier, especially for the Children’s cancer ward. So far, since we had it, we have run 550 samples, and probably very few would be repeated from the same patient,” she explains.
Echoing Chikaphonya Phiri is Pediatrics Department Registrar Dr. Nthambose Simango, who says in the past, the main lab would get overloaded or run out of reagents, and the other research machine at the facility had a limited number of samples it took, delaying the treatment of patients in the process.
“We were unable to do those tests, delaying management and sometimes treating patients blindly. So having this machine in the department has enabled us to have consistent availability of those tests, and we can manage our patients throughout the year,” says Dr. Simango.
She, however, points out that the department needs a constant supply of reagents and a mobile X-ray machine.
“We require a mobile X-ray machine because sometimes you have a sick child you cannot take to the X-ray department,” says Dr. Simango.
Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) Executive Director George Jobe says statistics and remarks by the doctors signify improvements.
“Every time we acquire new equipment; it is an improvement. What we are now is different from what we were 20 years ago, because we now have equipment that was not available back then. We look forward to purchasing more of such equipment. These tools of the trade make the life of health workers easier,” says Jobe.
NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, Akossa Hiwa says the Bank values the impact it makes in society.
“As a Bank, two things we consider paramount in each Corporate Social Investment we make are sustainability and impact. It is a rule of thumb that the causes we invest in create positive impact and are self-sustaining. It is therefore fulfilling to note that the chemistry analyzer we gifted the Child Cancer Ward within 2023 continues to make a difference in the lives of Malawian children,” she says.
This year’s theme, ‘United by Unique’, is a reminder that every cancer journey matters and that collective action is key to ensuring compassionate, equitable care for all.
