Managing UTH Very Stressful, Admits MD Kasonka

MANAGING UTH is stressful, managing director Dr Lackson Kasonka has said.
Dr Kasonka says cancer in children is a very devastating issue.
During an Access Bank cancer fundraising event at Pamodzi Hotel on Wednesday evening, Dr Kasonka said UTH was a complex institution that needed help from the private sector.
“When I came into this room, before I came to the podium, Mr. Yusuf Dodia said to me, ‘managing directors of UTH are becoming young’. He gave examples that Dr Lambert had grey hair. I looked at his head and seeing it’s black, I said well, looks can be deceiving. I may look very young but look at my head, there is no hair at all,” he said.
“In the line of my duty, I have visited some mansions where one host asked me saying how can you look after UTH when you can’t look after your hair? And I always say, that institution is very complex to manage; that every time I am walking, my hair keeps falling off because of stress.”
Dr Kasonka said it was not about how big or small an institution was for it to help other institutions.
“What you do to change people’s lives is what will make you a big bank. You are a very big bank I can assure you. Thank you for choosing UTH because UTH is a very complex hospital,” he said.
Dr Kasonka appealed to other corporate organisations in the country to emulate Access Bank.
“Don’t just complain about what UTH is doing and what UTH is failing to do. If you feel we are not doing something, come on board and see where you can help. I am happy that today we have this function where we are fundraising for the cancer unit for children,” he said. “Children are very innocent and they need our help. It’s very painful to see a child sick with cancer.”
Dr Kasonka said cancer drugs were very expensive, adding that the hospital relied on partners to support the hospital where they could.
Access Bank was raising funds to procure a Laminar Flow Cabinet for UTH’s Paediatric Cancer Department.
A Laminar Flow Cabinet is a carefully enclosed bench designed to prevent contamination and protect samples or operating staff from being exposed to strong substances by maintaining an ultra clean environment. The cabinet also works as storage facility for the highly sensitive cancer medicine used to treat the children.
Without this equipment, pharmacists are in constant danger of contaminants while preparing cancer medication.
And UTH consultant and paediatrician, Dr Pauline Musukwa-Sambo, said children with cancer experience real pain.
Dr Musukwa-Sambo said since the Paediatric Cancer department at UTH was the only one in the country, the unit dealt with many patients.
“It is the only peadiatric centre in Zambia. At the moment we have over 250 children that we are looking after. These are the children that come from very far places. They come with all sorts of cancers in a very devastating state. When cancer is advanced, it is untreatable, that is why we encourage people to go to the hospital on time because when cancer is detected early in children, 90 per cent of these children survive,” she said.
Dr Musukwa-Sambo applauded the support her unit received from the Ministry of Health, UTH management and other partners to enable them treat children with cancer.
Access Bank Zambia managing director, Jekwu Ozoemene, said his bank would continue to positively impact the local environment in a sustainable and strategic manner.
Ozoemene said Access Bank chose the Paediatric Cancer Department at UTH because it was not only a strategically important unit, but was also the only facility in the country.
“These are our children and they seek the much needed cancer treatment that can put them firmly on the path to recovery,” he said.
Ozoemene said acquiring the Laminar Flow Cabinet would make a positive impact on the lives of patients, their parents and members of staff.

Posted by Editor on December 21, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry