Residents of Nyamira County have been urged to go for cancer screening and testing in sub county health facilities within their reach for early detection and treatment.
Speaking during the launch of a two-day cancer screening and testing across the county, Nyamira governor’s wife Mrs Emily Nyaribo called upon all adults in the county to utilize the opportunity to go for breast, cervical and prostate cancer screening.
“It would be easier and cheaper to treat the cancers during the first stages once detected thus saving lives and resources which are lost unnecessarily due to late detection, the reason why I’m appealing to all adults to seize this opportunity to know their status,” she said.
Mrs. Nyaribo also hinted that the county was ready to set up a cancer centre courtesy of partnership with International Cancer Institutes (ICI), Africa Cancer Foundation (ACF) and Women 4 Cancer (W4C) saying once this happens, it will address cancer challenges significantly and save them the agony of traveling to distant referral hospitals for the services.
“Already, 14 counties across the country have set up cancer centres to enable patients ailing from this killer disease to access regular checkup clinics nearby, an initiative of the county first ladies association,” she confirmed.
She was accompanied by her Kisumu counterpart Mrs. Dorothy Nyong’o.
“I am here to support my sister in this first cancer screening and testing initiative in Nyamira County and as first ladies’ association, we care a lot about cancer and we have been going across the country to establish empowerment cancer clinics,” Mrs. Nyongó said.
Nyong’o noted that the African Cancer Foundation’s vision was treatment and elimination of cancer in the society.
The two day cancer screening for both men and women, the first in the County shall be conducted in four sub county hospitals: Esani, Ekerenyo, Manga, Kijauri and Nyamira County referral hospital.
By Deborah Bochere and Zachary Makori
