Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Reverend Mathews Chilekwa says regular medical check-ups are essential to enable early detection of diseases such as cancer.
 Rev Chilekwa advised members of the public to normalise going for medical checkups in order to improve survival rates through early detection of serious diseases.
The PS made the remarks over the weekend when he addressed hundreds of mourners at Piyala Cemetery in Chinsali district in Muchinga Province who gathered to pay their last respect to George Nsofwa 30 and Mary Mukando 33 who both died on 10 February 2026 and were put to rest on the same day.
“Regular screening is very important as it helps to manage chronic conditions and prevent illnesses,” he said.
The two deceased youths both died from cancer related complications at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka.
Speaking earlier Chinsali Mayor Lucy Mukuka said that cancer cases were on the rise, saying some causes were not known yet.
Ms Mukuka assumed that giving infants foods or drinks that contain preservatives could be one of the causes.
The Mayor has since urged mothers to ensure that they exclusively breastfeed infants and avoid alternatives that could be harmful.
And family representatives of the two bereaved families gave the life history of their departed loved ones and further commended the government and other well-wishers for the support rendered before and during the mourning period.
The late George Nsofwa who died of kidney cancer was the son of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Muchinga Province Vice Chairperson Lovewell Nsofwa and is survived by a wife and two children while Mary Mukando who died of anemia as a result of cancer related complications was the granddaughter of Mr Joseph Mukando who once served as Chinsali Central Police Officer in-charge.
Mary Mukando has left behind five children.
