By Kondwani Kandiado
A young medical practitioner passionate about cervical cancer says enhanced women access to information on health care services on cancer is vital in reducing cases of cervical cancer among women in the country.
Emmanuel Chikufenji, 30 , who is a Nursing Officer at Nkhamenya Mission Hospital in Kasungu says it is worrying that many cases of women with cervical cancer were being diagnosed at an advanced stages when treatment options were limited.
He is among the medical practitioners working with women cooperatives under Concern Universal in sensitising women on the need to undergo cancer screening to help fight the disease at its early stage.
Speaking after a community sensitisation meeting, Chikufenji, said despite efforts to improve access to cervical cancer screening services , coverage remains low in the country.
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Malawi has the highest cervical cancer incidences rates globally according to International Agency for Research on Cancer with the rate of cervical cancer estimated to be around 54.9 percent per 100,000 women.
“We feel that by teaching these women in communities, there will be increased access to regular cancer screening and it is only when they come to know their status that interventions can be made timely,” he said.
He further said that cancer health education would help empower communities with the knowledge and resources to prevent, detect and treat cervical cancer effectively.
Chikufenji’s passion to fight cancer stems from the time he lost his sister who succumbed to cancer coupled with his professional training program he attended on Young African Leaders Initiative where part of the problem he wanted to address was to help communities on cervical cancer screening.
