The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) in partnership with the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) is offering free screening for cervical and breast cancer throughout this year’s Agricultural show running from 29 August to 3 September.
Zimbabwe has a high burden of cervical cancer. According to the Zimbabwe National Cancer Registry, this cancer leads among malignancies in women, and constitutes 33.2% of the cancer burden in this population.
Cervical cancer despite its potential preventability and curability, remains the most common cancer in Zimbabwe and is responsible for most cancer deaths among women in Zimbabwe. In 2021 out of a total of 7265 new cases, 18% were cervical cancer cases.
“So early diagnosis becomes critical in arresting the malignancy and that is why the ZRCS stepped up to plug the gap complimenting government efforts to encourage and populate early diagnosis,” said ZRCS’s communications and corporate affairs manager Kim Stambuli.
For breast cancer women aged between 50 and 55 are encouraged to get an examination at the ZRCS stand.
The ZRCS, through its dedicated medical team from its clinic will also be offering a host of other services like blood sugar and BP checks. Covid 19 vaccinations will also carried out for free.
This is in line with government stance to achieve herd immunity through vaccination of at least over 60percent of the population including school going children.
Meanwhile, the ZRCS has also embarked on a drive to ensure children are not lost during the show.
Through its Restoring Family Links programme team, the ZRCS will ensure prevention of family separation especially among minors and their parents through tagging children at entry points. Using a system of tagging the children it becomes easier to link them back to their families when they get lost.
The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society stand will also have an information booth and members of the public can be briefed on all training programmes that the society offers which include First Aid and nurse aid training.
The humanitarian organisation is a first aid training service provider of choice, providing appropriate, evidence-based first aid and health care training services to all sectors in Zimbabwe.
“We strongly subscribe to the notion that everyone can potentially be trained in First Aid and as ZRCS our guiding mandate is to save lives through provision of comprehensive training which is globally acceptable,” said the ZRCS Secretary General Mr Elias Hwenga.
“We are an essential humanitarian service provider and continue to champion community based solutions,” he added.
This year’s Show is running under the theme ‘Unique Business Opportunities, Acceleration and Abundance
