Cervical cancer fight gears up
GOVERNMENT has engaged several partners for provision of cervical cancer screening to women in rural areas.
This comes as First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa has been on a nation-wide drive to assist women to access cervical and breast cancer screening.
In an interview during a National Aids Council tour for journalists to appreciate the HIV and Aids situation in Mashonaland Central province, NAC Muzarabani district co-ordinator Mr Richard Chasima said Government was fully committed to the fight against cervical cancer.
He said measures had been put in place through the Ministry of Health and Child Care to ensure more women were screened for cervical cancer.
“We are carrying out a number of programmes as stakeholders that are being supported by the National Aids Trust Fund and these include the VIAC screening and screening for cervical cancer targeting mostly areas that are hard to reach areas.
“In this province, we are now supporting St Albert’s Mission with travel logistics so that they go to areas where people live.
“This was upon realisation that we have people in wards like Chiwenga, Chadereka and Hoya who find it difficult to go to the hospital and get screened for cervical cancer because of the distance.
“By going to the people, we have managed to increase the number of women who are benefiting from the VIAC exercise as opposed to the period where people only used to come to the mission hospital.
“This is part of various measures that are being implemented by the Government and various partners to ensure women are safe from cervical cancer.”
The Sunday Mail gathered that several activities are being carried out in the district, which include Parent to Child to Communication and Sister to Sister Programmes in which the Zimbabwe Aids Prevention Support Organisation is a major implementer.
PCC aims to bridge the gap between parents and their children in discussing sex-related matters, whilst Sister to Sister provides an opportunity for females aged between 10-24 to talk about sexual reproductive health issues.
“Some farmers have managed to buy donkeys, but the animal prices have increased from $80 to about $400.
“Not every farmer can afford to buy the donkeys now. We believe the introduction of two tractors will assist in boosting agriculture production,” he said.
Deputy Director for Livestock and Veterinary Services in the Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Ministry, Dr Chenjerai Njagu, advised farmers to dip their cattle regularly.
He also said it was a crime to move infected animals.
“Commercial farmers should stock adequate dipping chemicals for the rainy season and ensure they dip their animals weekly,” said Dr Njagu.