The Lake Region Economic Block (LREB) counties have launched a cervical cancer campaign drive to eradicate the disease.
The program, being run in partnership with United Nations Children Fund, the National Vaccines and Immunisation Program and the LREB First Ladies, will see 850,000 free Human Papilomavirus (HPV) vaccines distributed to public hospitals and clinics in the region’s 14 counties.
Kisumu County First Lady Dorothy Nyong’o, said the program will also see health workers from those counties supplied with 25,000 medical scrubs.
“We are distributing medical scrubs to health workers to acknowledge them for the amazing work they have been doing and also to give them responsibility of becoming ambassadors of the cervical cancer campaign,” said Ms Nyong’o.
First campaign
She spoke during the launch of the Kisumu County cervical cancer campaign at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital. Also present at the event was Bungoma County First Lady Margaret Lusaka, Emily Nyaribo of Nyamira and Agnes Ochilo of Migori County.
Through the Africa Cancer Foundation, Matibabu Foundation and Tiba Hospital, Ms Nyong’o donated 2,000 pairs of medical scrubs to the health workers at the facility.
“This is the first campaign of its kind in the Lake Region Economic Block and is meant to create awareness on this deadly, yet preventable and treatable disease,” she said.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Kenya. It is also approximated that every county loses at least 40 women to cervical cancer, yearly.
Despite the disease being treatable on detection at an early stage, 50 per cent of the cases are diagnosed late due to lack of awareness and access to screening.
As a result, the First Ladies said the campaign will focus on screening, vaccination against HPV among girls aged 10 to 14, and awareness programs.
“We are on the road to eliminate cervical cancer by the year 2030 as per the call from the World Health Organisation,” said Kisumu County Committee Member for Heath Dr Gregory Ganda. BY DAILY NATION