Business magnate Dr. Thomson Mpinganjira has revealed that the driving force behind the establishment of the Blantyre Cancer Hospital (BCH) was not profit, but the desire to spare Malawians the financial and emotional burden of seeking cancer treatment abroad.
Speaking when a Ministry of Health delegation led by Secretary for Health and Population Dr. Dan Namarika toured the state-of-the-art facility ahead of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Mpinganjira said the hospital was created to give Malawians world-class cancer care at home.
The planned agreement will allow the government to refer eligible cancer patients to BCH, marking a significant step toward expanding access to specialised treatment within the country.
“This facility was not built to make money. It was born out of the painful experiences many Malawians face when they travel abroad for treatment, spending huge amounts on accommodation while enduring poor treatment and discrimination,” Mpinganjira said.
He added that some patients have encountered xenophobia in foreign hospitals, making an already difficult journey even more traumatic.
“I wanted to create a place where Malawians can receive quality cancer treatment with dignity, close to their families, without having to leave the country,” he said.
Dr. Namarika described the partnership between the government and Blantyre Cancer Hospital as a major breakthrough in the fight against cancer, saying it will reduce human suffering and make life-saving treatment more accessible.
He said the collaboration aligns with the government’s commitment to strengthening specialised healthcare services and reducing dependence on costly overseas referrals.
Once the agreement is finalised, more patients are expected to access advanced cancer treatment locally, offering hope to thousands of Malawians battling the disease while reducing the need for expensive treatment abroad.
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