The Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) has recorded 25 new cases of childhood leukaemia in the first six months of 2026, while the specialised facility continues to register between 180 and 200 childhood cancer cases annually.
Speaking during an exclusive interview with the media, Cancer Diseases Hospital Health Promotion Officer Chosha Mulungu says many children are presented to the hospital when the disease has already reached an advanced stage, making treatment more difficult.
He has urged parents to seek immediate medical attention if children experience persistent body pains, frequent infections, unexplained anemia, prolonged bleeding, frequent nosebleeds, swollen lymph nodes or heart palpitations, as these could be signs of leukaemia.
He explained that leukaemia affects the production of normal blood cells because abnormal white blood cells crowd out healthy ones, leading to serious health complications if left untreated.
Mr Mulungu stressed that early detection greatly improves treatment outcomes and appealed to parents not to delay seeking medical care when symptoms appear.
He said the hospital has intensified public awareness through outreach programmes in schools, churches, markets and workplaces to educate communities on the signs and symptoms of leukaemia and other childhood cancers.
Mr Mulungu added that CDH also uses health commemorations such as World Cancer Day and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month to encourage early diagnosis and treatment.
Meanwhile, Memory Kachimba, whose 16-year old child Mapalo Chishipula has been receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 12, urged parents to take children for medical examination as soon as symptoms are noticed.
She also encouraged the public to disregard the misconception that leukaemia affects only adults, saying the disease is common among children and can be treated more effectively when detected early.
