Party ups cancer awareness campaigns
ZANU-PF’s provincial health department in Mashonaland West has intensified cervical cancer awareness campaigns to complement First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s efforts.
The Women’s League provincial health secretary, Cde Precious Chinhamo-Masango, recently took the awareness campaign to Mhangura constituency.
Cde Chinhamo-Masango reiterated the First Lady’s call for women to visit health institutions for cervical cancer screening. Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, Makonde Christian Hospital and other various health institutions in the province are offering free cervical cancer screening services.
Addressing scores of women gathered at Slotter Village in Ward 5 in Mhangura, Cde Chinhamo-Masango said it was critical for women to know their status for the benefit of both their families and the nation.
“Women should emulate the First Lady Amai Mnangagwa’s stance as she got screened for cervical cancer,” she said. “Let us all take the opportunity of free services being provided by our Government so that we know our statuses.
“Government has made it easy for us as we can now get screened for cervical cancer from various hospitals across the nation for free. Cervical cancer is preventable if we take regular screening tests.”
Cde Chinhamo-Masango urged women to encourage their husbands to volunteer for male circumcision, which has also been made available for free.
“We all know that circumcised men’s chances of causing cervical cancer to their female partners are slim,” she said. “Let us all encourage our partners to go for circumcision to help reduce the chances of contracting cervical cancer.”
Cde Chinhamo-Masango highlighted the importance of undergoing HIV tests.
Last year, Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, launched the Zimbabwe National Cervical Cancer Control and Prevention Strategy (ZCCCPS) (2017-2020) in an effort to help reduce and curb the spread of the life-threatening disease.
At the launch, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said ZCCCPS sought to reduce the risk of women getting cervical cancer.
Government has since rolled out an HPV vaccination programme targeting young girls.
HPV vaccines are those that prevent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) — the leading cause of cervical cancer.