Background
Zambia's cancer care landscape is characterised by resource scarcity, cultural complexity, and a lack of integrated psychosocial support services. The Cancer Diseases Hospital (CDH) in Lusaka, the country's only specialised oncology facility, faces significant challenges: long waiting times, limited access to counselling, and treatment delays that exacerbate psychological distress among people with cancer (PwC).
Study Context
Zambia's healthcare system reflects a complex interplay between Indigenous healing traditions, biomedical practices, and Christianity, creating a pluralistic environment that is fertile for culturally embedded innovations. With over 70% of the population relying on Indigenous Healing Practices, there is significant potential for integrating Indigenous Medical Approaches, including healing rituals, storytelling, and communal music-making, into supportive care frameworks.
Research Approach
This study explores Indigenous Musical Arts (IMAs) as culturally resonant strategies for managing cancer-related anxiety and distress, addressing urgent needs for context-specific interventions. Through ceremonies and conversation circles, the research captures how PwC co-creates support networks, builds relational agency, and finds meaning despite institutional limitations.
The study addresses structural challenges at CDH, including underfunding, shortage of trained psychosocial personnel, and infrastructural constraints, while situating IMAs within broader conversations on psycho-oncology, distress reduction, and community resilience.
Significance
Preliminary findings inform the development of culturally responsive policies, the establishment of interdisciplinary care teams, and the expansion of community-led cancer support models. This research positions Zambia not merely as a site of need but as a hub of Indigenous innovation and leadership in psycho-oncology, providing transferable insights for similar resource-constrained, culturally diverse healthcare contexts.