Thokozani Khupe, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, has called on Parliament to urge the government to allocate more resources towards cancer treatment and awareness programs.
Khupe, now 59 years old, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2011. She underwent treatment and surgery, which resulted in the surgical removal of one of her breasts.
In a motion presented to Parliament on Thursday, Khupe revealed that she is now battling another form of breast cancer, Lobular cancer, after being initially misdiagnosed and treated for ovarian cancer.
Invasive lobular carcinoma is a type of breast cancer that begins as the growth of cells in the milk-producing glands of the breast. Khupe said:
You all saw me when I came for the swearing-in-ceremony, I was a moving grave, but look at the transformation – this is God’s work.
I would like to thank Him so very much for giving me a second chance at life, and for being my Saviour, my doctor and my protector.
Khupe also expressed gratitude to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had issued a directive in 2023 for the Treasury to cover the costs of her cancer treatment in India.
The CCC proportional representation MP singled out Doctor Jonathan Krell whom she said accurately diagnosed her health challenge and helped administer the right treatment that has restored her to good health. She said:
The treatment which he prescribed for me did wonders to the extent that all the water in my stomach, the 6 litres I was draining every week dried up and that was a great relief for me because carrying an equivalent to 6kgs all the time was very uncomfortable and made me weak and sicker.
Khupe said the government needed to fund research and development initiatives to help the country combat the dreaded disease. She said:
It must not be a big deal for one to have stage 4 cancer because with modernisation, it can be treated and I am a living testimony – I had stage 4 cancer and here I am today standing in front of you and good health.
It is of utmost importance that the government prioritises and invests with agility in research and development because it will lead to breakthroughs in new cancer treatment.
We have big brains in Zimbabwe, professors, doctors and scientists who can creatively and innovatively research new modern medication for all cancers no matter how complicated they might be because, with research, they should not be any complicated case.
We must move with time as a country, we must evolve, and we must do continuous research to conquer any type of cancer.
Khupe urged the government to fully equip Mpilo Central Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals with cutting-edge cancer treatment equipment and technology. She said:
This will ensure that those with cancer get the right diagnosis from the onset because once you have the right diagnosis, it follows that you will get the right treatment. I am a good example.
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