More women embrace First Lady’s cancer programme
Tendai Rupapa
Medical teams that are screening women for cervical and breast cancer as well as other non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension during a programme organised by health ambassador, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, in commemoration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, were busy as bees as the programme entered its second day in Harare yesterday.
As early as 8am yesterday, long winding queues had formed at the City Sports Centre showing how women have embraced the programme and are keen to know their health status.
Representing the Ministry of Health and Child Care, acting chief director, Dr Stephen Banda, acknowledged that the medical outreach spearheaded by the First Lady had been fully embraced by the intended beneficiaries.
“We are here for the programme organised by the First Lady, Her Excellency Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa. She availed her Angel of Hope Foundation’s mobile hospital and clinic, one does the screening for cervical cancer and the other does the breast cancer screening.
“The First Lady has mobilised women from Harare Province to go through this screening and also at the same time there are other parties in the health sector that have come in support of the First Lady’s vision. NAC is also supporting, the National Family Planning Council is also supporting where all sorts of non-communicable diseases are being screened.
“As a ministry, we are calling upon all women to always embrace such programmes with both hands to make sure that they are screened and know their status because your health is your responsibility. That is the aim of the First Lady through her Angel of Hope Foundation which is doing very important work to the citizens of this country. The First Lady has been in all the provinces doing the same,” he said.
Dr Banda showered praises on the First Lady for helping women mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month through the screening programme.
“Looking at this month, it is Breast cancer Awareness month and the First Lady has made sure that those mobile hospitals that she has made available to Zimbabwe are here to complement that and be able to make sure that all the women have got a chance to come and have breast cancer screening done.
“So to the First Lady, our ambassador for Health we say thank you very much, continue doing this to all the provinces like what you have been doing and we will rally behind you to make sure that these screening programmes are a success and your dream should come true because we are all working together to make sure that all women in Zimbabwe have got a chance to be screened for cervical and breast cancer,” he said.
One’s blood pressure, Dr Banda said, needs to be checked regularly.
“If you are treated, you are a healthy person and a healthy person is productive to the nation, to the family and to everyone else within Zimbabwe. So, I would like to thank the First Lady for this important programme that she has availed to Zimbabwe,” he said.
Females between the ages of 15 and 45 years were at high risk of contracting cancer.
“As you are all aware that cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in Zimbabwe, especially to our women aged from 15 to 45 years.
“So, with these services that are being availed by the First Lady, we have seen that all those who are going through, those who are positive are being referred for treatment thus saving lives. The moment you are diagnosed early, chances are high that you can get treatment and after getting treatment you can be better healed and better able to live a normal life.”
Dr Banda praised the First Lady for unlocking world-class medical equipment to the nation through her mobile hospital.
“With the Angel of Hope programme, you know as a ministry we do not have mobile screening equipment like the bus which our mother has availed to the nation and also the mammography truck that she also availed to the nation. So far the programme has managed to reach most of the hard to reach areas and a lot of people have gone through the screening.
“As the ministry of Health, we could not have done it alone. It would be expensive for all the people in the hard to reach areas to travel to most centres to be screened but Amai takes hospitals to their door steps,” he said.
Beneficiaries of the free screening programme could not hide their joy.
Mrs Monica Mushambi (28) said she was grateful and praised the First Lady for her love.
“Today I feel elated because of the programme rolled out to us by the First Lady for two days. We were so excited when we heard the mobile hospitals were coming and we rushed to be screened for cancer on time. This is my first time to be screened. I have many children but I had never been screened and today I feel so delighted beyond measure because of what the First Lady has done,” she said.
Gogo Alice Mwanjeya (64), said: “I am thankful to our mother of the nation who is doing wonders for the country where she is working with women in a big way, assisting them to be screened for cervical and breast cancer. Cancer is wreaking havoc especially to women. Our First Lady is assisting all women by bringing along doctors to examine us. Some are being screened for hypertension and diabetes.
“Our mother is uplifting us through caring for improved health. People now know their ailments and this is a cause to be happy. We are thankful to her. I was also screened and was found clean and for that I am grateful.”
Mrs Rutendo Chipfupi (45) of Mufakose, Harare, also expressed her gratitude to the First Lady.
“I wish to thank the First Lady for her efforts. She made sure as women we are screened for cancer and tested for other conditions like HIV and learning how we can protect ourselves from such diseases.
“I also thank those who came forward to be screened as I encourage other women at home to embrace this programme that has been rolled out for our benefit.
“This programme by the mother of the nation is for our own good so that we know our health status and are commenced on treatment if need be to enjoy good health instead of being tested after encountering challenges. Some people are dying owing to lack of knowledge. I thank our First Lady once again for this good gesture,” she said. – Herald