 Verne and Kunda is receiving his fifth session of radiotherapy. The 37-year-old is one of 2,500 patients who get treated each year at the Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. This facility is the first and only cancer treatment centre in this developing country of 14 million people. From 2007 when we officially opened, the numbers have more than tripled. So in that case we can say that the cancer is on the increase. Over the past 10 years, 16,000 people have been treated at this hospital. Before it opened, Zambian cancer patients had to join a long waiting list for costly treatment overseas. Many of them simply died. The IAEA, which supports the use of radiation medicine in its member states, has played a key role in the development and operation of this hospital. Without IAEA to develop a centre like this, which is highly technical, it would be very difficult for us. Up to now maybe we're not going to have this centre treating the numbers that we have. Today the hospital's two teletherapy machines treat over 130 patients a day. A BRCA therapy unit treats the rising number of patients with cervical cancer. The centre offers mammography services for early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. We are screening women in Zambia above the age of 40 years. So now how are we catching those women to come for screening? We are doing a lot of socialization programmes in the country by doing outreach programmes. Apart from the outreach programmes where we go in different areas to tell them the importance of having a mammogram, we are also using the media just to make sure that we reach out there to tell the people about early detection. We've had an overwhelming response the last five years from the people. Mercy Chippampi, like many of her colleagues, was trained under IAEA programmes. She now coaches radiographers around the country and teaches students from Zambia as well as other African countries. With IAEA support, the hospital is able to serve as a teaching centre for radiotherapy technicians. James Secona uses the experience gained through IAEA training programmes to educate students. He also oversees all the radiotherapy services. We are putting smiles on people's faces and that goes a long way because no money can buy that. Somebody who comes anguished in pain and after treatment is able to smile and say I'm feeling much better is a feeling that is just immeasurable. You can't put any value to that. As the country's sole cancer treatment centre, the hospital needs to accommodate patients from all over Zambia and neighbouring countries. To cope with the growing demands for its services, the hospital was recently expanded to include inpatient wards. These include facilities for children who suffer from cancer and are receiving treatment. When detected early and treatment is available, many cancers are curable. Elsewhere in the country, the situation is very different. At the central hospital in Livingstone in southern province, there are facilities to screen and make a clinical diagnosis of cancer and conduct surgery when needed. But there's nowhere to treat cancer locally or even analyse samples. Cancer patients need to make the seven-hour journey to the cancer diseases hospital in Lusaka at their own cost, often without their families and friends. Many do not complete their treatment. Some don't even start. A project is now underway to open the country's second cancer treatment centre here in Livingstone. The IAEA will be supporting this expansion. A plot of land has already been identified as the location for the future hospital. So having a centre here shortens one, patients' distance to move away from their homes. Two, for the hospital so it's extremely very important because then we have the interaction because most cancers are multidisciplinary approach to care. So the interaction between the specialties is enhanced as well as it makes it very convenient for the patient to seek this care. Cancer is on the increase in Zambia, with 70% of cases being among women. Most cancer patients go to hospital when the disease is at an advanced stage and often fatal. National schemes are in place to raise awareness of cancer and extend screening services. This means the number of diagnosed cases will grow even further. With the right equipment and properly trained doctors, radiation therapy is a vital component of cancer control. In the future, the people in the Livingstone area may have direct access to this life-saving treatment they so badly need.