Government invests E7.6?mln in Cancer screening mobile Clinics
By Delisa Magagula
The Ministry of Health, led by Minister?Mduduzi Matsebula, has launched and commissioned four mobile screening clinics.
This was done to bolster cancer detection efforts in Eswatini.?Funded through a loan from the World Bank and costing E7.6?million, these mobile units are expected to reach underserved areas across all regions and enhance early diagnosis of cancers, especially cervical cancer.
In a formal launch event, Minister Matsebula described the initiative as a critical step in the Kingdom’s fight against cancer.
He emphasised that detecting cancer at its earliest stage greatly increases treatment success and survival. By bringing screening services closer to communities removing barriers of distance and cost the mobile clinics are designed to make vital health checks more accessible and equitable.
The four new trucks will operate regionally, rotating through rural and peri-urban communities to provide screening for cancers including cervical, breast and other opportunistic diagnoses.
The Ministry states that mobile deployment is part of a broader strategy to expand coverage beyond static health-facility settings.
Worth noting is that cancer burden in Eswatini remains high. Estimates place the age-standardised incidence rate of cervical cancer at 84.5 cases per 100,000 women, with a mortality rate of 55.7 per 100,000.
Recent data suggest that in 2023 there were approximately 417 new cervical-cancer cases with an age-standardised incidence of about 95.9 per 100,000 women; the estimated mortality rate that year was 64.3 per 100,000 women.
“From 2016 to 2022, the national cancer-control programme recorded 1,171 cases of cervical cancer among women aged 15–49, with around 500 deaths in that cohort. Despite screening programmes, uptake remains limited,” the report read in part.
Another study found that only about 44?per cent of women aged 25–59 in the selected clinics were classified as adhering to the national screening guidelines.
Another earlier study reported that only 29.3?per cent of women aged 18–69 had ever received cervical cancer screening in certain regions.
The national ‘Elimination Acceleration Plan’ for cervical cancer sets targets to raise screening coverage among eligible women (ages?25–49) to at least 70?per cent and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions to 90?per cent by 2030.
Meanwhile, the mobile clinic initiative is financed through a government borrowing arrangement supported by the World Bank.
Eswatini’s engagement with the World Bank includes the Health System Strengthening for Human Capital Development project, which has among its objectives the improvement of health-service delivery, covering reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health, as well as non-communicable diseases.
According to the Ministry, the procurement plan for that project outlines mechanisms for acquiring equipment, consumables and strengthening health-service systems.
In a broader sense, the World Bank approved a E?75?million loan in 2022 to support Eswatini’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery, which also referenced improving public-service delivery including health-related services.
While that loan is not exclusively for cancer screening, it reflects the financial relationship and the context in which health-system investments are being made.
Meanwhile, Minister?Matsebula noted that the mobile clinics will operate across all regions, facilitating outreach in hard-to-reach areas and reducing load on fixed facilities.
By delivering screening closer to where people live, the Ministry hopes to improve early detection, reduce late-stage diagnoses and improve survival outcomes.
For example, given the high incidence of cervical cancer and the fact that many women may not access fixed-facility screening due to distance, transport cost or clinic congestion, mobile units help lower access barriers.
“The drive is aligned with the national acceleration plan’s goal of reaching underserved populations and integrating screening with other women’s health services,” said Matsebula in previous interviews.
The Ministry has also emphasised that these trucks will be staffed by trained health-care providers, equipped with screening tools and linked to referral pathways for further diagnosis and treatment when needed.
The logistical challenge of sample transportation, follow-up and treatment referral is acknowledged in planning documents and the national plan for cervical cancer elimination.
While the launch is a notable step, challenges remain. Low screening uptake persists due to attitudinal barriers
The national acceleration plan also underscores the need for digital systems, quality-assurance mechanisms, and ensuring timely treatment of precancerous lesions and invasive disease.
Monitoring and evaluation will need strong data systems, which have been flagged as an area for improvement.