Hundreds of women and girls on Saturday thronged the free Cervical Cancer and Breast Cancer screening facility set up in Harare’s Hopley suburb by the first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa through her Angel Of Hope Foundation.
Addressing the women who came for screening, the first lady urged women to utilize the mobile clinic available and go home knowing their status concerning breast and cervical cancer.
“I have brought my bus here so that you will also be screened for cervical cancer. I am aware that it is breast cancer awareness month but let’s recognize that all other cancers do not take a break, hence utilize the mobile clinic here and go home knowing your status concerning breast and cervical cancer.
“People are going late for screening when cancer has affected the whole body but today I’m saying let’s utilize the facilities we have here today. The nurses will explain how to do self-breast examination even when you are home,” she said.
The First Lady added that women continued to lose lives to other cancers such as Cervical cancer hence the move by her organisation to integrate cancer screening services.
A Ministry of Health and Child Care representative Dr Collen Madembo said encouraged women to go for early screening to prevent severe and fatal cases of cancer.
“Let’s all get screened for cancer so that by 2030 it will be a reality that we will no longer have cancer. Through the Angel of Hope, the Ministry and the women have benefited a lot. She also launched the HPV vaccine which will prevent and reduce the prevalence of cervical cancer in the country,” Dr Madembo said.
Cancer of the breast and cervix are the most common and are treatable if detected early.
