UPDATED: 21 000 women screened for cancer First Lady and Angel of Hope Foundation founder Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa greets Apostolic Faith Mission Holy Ghost church members during her cancer screening programme in Beatrice yesterday. — Picture by Memory Mangombe

Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
OVER 21 000 women have undergone cervical cancer screening since February, courtesy of a countrywide awareness campaign by First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa.

Amai Mnangagwa started the national cancer awareness campaigns after engaging the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Members of the National Apostolic Faith Mission of Holy Ghost church yesterday heeded the call by Amai Mnangagwa to undergo cervical and breast cancer screening.

They invited the First Lady for their Passover in Beatrice.

Addressing the gathering yesterday, Amai Mnangagwa said she was happy members of the church heeded her call to undergo screening.

Play video below:

“As a mother, I am concerned about your health, I worry everyday when I hear that someone has died of cancer,” she said. “Cancer is a serious and growing public health challenge in the world and it continues to be on the increase in Zimbabwe.

“It also worries me that this disease has not spared our young ones. They are equally affected by this disease and, therefore, attention across the board is required.

“Most of the causes or risk factors for cancer are associated with life choices and behaviours that we make such as consuming unhealthy foods, lack of exercise, tobacco use and alcohol consumption.”

The First Lady urged women to undergo screening to combat the disease.

“I have partnered with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and they have several points of screening, including mobile clinics,’ she said. “Let us utilise this opportunity and get screened and save a life. Many cancers when diagnosed early can be cured.

“It is my desire that all of us get screened. The new Zimbabwe we aspire to build can only be built by a healthy nation. So, I urge you to take this opportunity.”

Amai Mnangagwa urged men to get checked for prostate cancer.

The church’s leaders – Bishop Emmanuel Chindiya and his wife Angeline – said they decided to invite the First Lady for their members to benefit from the cancer screening programme.

“We want to thank the First Lady for accepting our invitation,” said Bishop Chindiya. “We requested her to come so that our female members would also undergo breast and cervical cancer screening and she gladly accepted.

“This has never happened to us and we would like to thank Amai for her love.”

Family Health director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Bernard Madzima said the intervention by the First Lady in February this year saw the number of women getting screened increasing as compared to last year.

He said last year, between February and April, only 5 000 women were screened.

This time around 21 332 have since undergone the process.

The First Lady donated foodstuffs that included maize-meal, cooking oil and sugar to the church for use during their seven-day gathering.

She brought a state-of-the-art mobile clinic from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, which was used for the screening.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey