Malawi’s First Lady, Professor Gertrude Mutharika has underscored the need for women across the country to go for cervical cancer screening.
The First Lady said this on Thursday in Neno where she engaged women from the area of Senior Chief Saimoni in cancer awareness as reports indicate that Malawi is registering high number of deaths due to cancer.
“Malawi is one the countries topping the list with high number of deaths due to cervical cancer as a result lack of awareness.
“It’s saddening to note that Malawi as a country is losing a lot of women to cancer, and that a lot are still suffering as they never went for early cancer screening. Time has come for us to reduce these numbers,” said Mutharika.
She then encouraged women to consider taking their adolescent girls for screening as they too were at risk of having cervical cancer.
“Chiefs should also help us in organizing women in their respective villages to go for cancer screening,” she added.
On Cholera, Madame Mutharika emphasized on the need for people to follow proper health and hygiene practices.
“Following health and hygiene practices at household level is number one vaccine for cholera prevention hence the need for all of us to make sure that we exercise it,” advised Mutharika.
During the awareness meeting, health experts from Neno District Health Office addressed the gathering on Cholera management, esophagus, breast and cervical cancer.
The people were told on the causes, signs and symptoms as well as the kind of assistance those infected can get from the hospital.
Member of Parliament for the area, Mary Khembo hailed the First Lady for finding time out of her busy schedule to come and conduct the awareness meeting noting that the women had learnt a lot.
The First Lady then presented hampers containing assorted items to 200 elderly persons from the area of Traditional Authority Saimoni.
