IT Workshop on cervical and breast cancer screening

VAHA in collaboration with Volunteer medical Corp, Mother and Child Clinic celebrates World Cancer Day!!!

In 2012, 14,000 new cases of cancers were diagnosed and about 25,000 people lived with cancer. More than 80% of persons affected were tested at a very late stage of the disease and the majority died within 12 months after they have been diagnosed. The most frequent cancers are: breast cancer (18.5%), cervical cancer (13.8%), prostate cancer (7.3%) and liver cancer (3%) Cameroon has 2 radiotherapy Centres; General Hospital of Douala - Hopital Général de Douala and General Hospital of Yaounde whose functioning is not optimal. The management of cancers is still very expensive for patients and their families despite subsidies*.

Cameroon, however looks towards attaining a country where universal access to quality health services is ensured for all social strata by 2035, with the full participation of communities. In order for such a vision to be achieved, effective empowerment of communities for an improved management of their health problems is of paramount importance. It is for this reason that VAHA in collaboration with other health institutions organised a workshop on cervical and breast cancer screening for community health personnel. During this workshop that brought together over 50 health workers and medical students, the importance of early diagnosis was stressed as the most cost effective way of reducing the disease burden. At the end of the campaign, free screening on cervical and breast cancer for women who answered present.

 

*Source; Cameroon Health Sector Strategy 2016-2017